Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action. Despite being out of action, Federer still hogs the headlines as he has been named the highest-paid tennis player for the 17th year in a row (since 2005), as revealed by Forbes.

The list continues to be headed by Argentina captain and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Lionel Messi whereas the likes of LeBron James (2nd spot) Cristiano Ronaldo (3rd spot), Neymar (4th spot), Stephen Curry (5th spot) make the top-five. Here's the top ten of the highest-paid athletes:

1. Lionel Messi - $130 million

2. LeBron James - $121.2 million

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million

4. Neymar - $95 million

5. Stephen Curry - $92.8 million

6. Kevin Durant - $92.1 million

7. Roger Federer - $90.7 million

8. Canelo Alvarez - $90 million

9. Tom Brady - $83.9 million

10. Giannis Antetokounmpo - $80.9 million

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Talking about Federer, it is to be noted that the 20-time Grand Slam winner was out of action but still raked in an approximate $90 million before taxes and agents' fees over the last year to top the list among the tennis players, with the heavy amount coming in the form of "endorsements, appearances and other business endeavours". 
 
Among the female tennis players, Naomi Osaka (19th spot) and Serena Williams (31st position) are the top two. Soon-to-retire Williams&nbsp;earned a whopping $35.1 million this year, going past former men's number one&nbsp;Rafael Nadal ($31.4 million) and Novak Djokovic ($27.1 million). Among the top-ten tennis players, Emma Raducanu (sixth), Daniil Medvedev (seventh),&nbsp;Kei Nishikori,&nbsp;Venus Williams and&nbsp;Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz complete the top 10 respectively.

Overall, the top-50 list features Tiger Woods (14th spot), Lewis Hamilton (17th), Max Verstappen (21st), Phil Mickelson (joint-31st with Serena), Mohammad Salah (33rd), Frenchman Kylian Mbappe and Conor McGregor (35th), Jake Paul (46th).&nbsp;

Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action.

Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action. Despite being out of action, Federer still hogs the headlines as he has been named the highest-paid tennis player for the 17th year in a row (since 2005), as revealed by Forbes. The list continues to be headed by Argentina captain and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Lionel Messi whereas the likes of LeBron James (2nd spot) Cristiano Ronaldo (3rd spot), Neymar (4th spot), Stephen Curry (5th spot) make the top-five. Here's the top ten of the highest-paid athletes: 1. Lionel Messi - $130 million 2. LeBron James - $121.2 million 3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million 4. Neymar - $95 million 5. Stephen Curry - $92.8 million 6. Kevin Durant - $92.1 million 7. Roger Federer - $90.7 million 8. Canelo Alvarez - $90 million 9. Tom Brady - $83.9 million 10. Giannis Antetokounmpo - $80.9 million ALSO READ | Cristiano Ronaldo brutally 'axed' by Man United manager Erik Ten Hag infront of entire squad: Report Talking about Federer, it is to be noted that the 20-time Grand Slam winner was out of action but still raked in an approximate $90 million before taxes and agents' fees over the last year to top the list among the tennis players, with the heavy amount coming in the form of "endorsements, appearances and other business endeavours". Among the female tennis players, Naomi Osaka (19th spot) and Serena Williams (31st position) are the top two. Soon-to-retire Williams earned a whopping $35.1 million this year, going past former men's number one Rafael Nadal ($31.4 million) and Novak Djokovic ($27.1 million). Among the top-ten tennis players, Emma Raducanu (sixth), Daniil Medvedev (seventh), Kei Nishikori, Venus Williams and Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz complete the top 10 respectively. Overall, the top-50 list features Tiger Woods (14th spot), Lewis Hamilton (17th), Max Verstappen (21st), Phil Mickelson (joint-31st with Serena), Mohammad Salah (33rd), Frenchman Kylian Mbappe and Conor McGregor (35th), Jake Paul (46th).

Roger Federer highest-paid tennis player in Forbes' list of athletes with Lionel Messi at top

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA&nbsp;Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns. Osaka, who was playing in her second match since sustaining a left Achilles injury, quit in the first set of the US&nbsp;Open warm-up competition while trailing Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 7-6(4), 3-0.&nbsp;"I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it I just wasn't able to today," said Osaka. "I'd like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament."

Osaka took a medical break when she was down 4-3 in the first set. After that, she seemed to be playing a little better, breaking Kanepi twice when she was serving for the opening frame to force the tiebreaker.

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During the changeover between sets, Osaka spent extra time working with the trainer before quickly falling behind in the second before deciding to end the match.

In her on-court interview, Kanepi, who will play eighth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the second round, said, "It's very tough to see that she has to retire this way."

Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion from Britain, was eliminated in the first round after losing to Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kiwi-pacer-trent-boult-steps-out-of-his-central-contract-fuels-retirement-talks-505361" hreflang="en">Kiwi pacer Trent Boult steps out of his central contract. Fuels retirement talks</a>

"It was a really good match, to be honest," Raducanu said. "The level was pretty high, especially in the first set.

"Camila's a great opponent. She won this tournament last year. I just need to get better at dealing with players who play probably as quick as she does "

Six breaks to serve were traded between the two players in the first set before Giorgi flipped a switch and easily won the tiebreak, which was over in a flash after a Raducanu double-fault.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns. Osaka, who was playing in her second match since sustaining a left Achilles injury, quit in the first set of the US Open warm-up competition while trailing Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 7-6(4), 3-0. "I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it I just wasn't able to today," said Osaka. "I'd like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament." Osaka took a medical break when she was down 4-3 in the first set. After that, she seemed to be playing a little better, breaking Kanepi twice when she was serving for the opening frame to force the tiebreaker. Also read | Thinking too much about 24th Grand Slam didn't help, admits superstar Serena Williams During the changeover between sets, Osaka spent extra time working with the trainer before quickly falling behind in the second before deciding to end the match. In her on-court interview, Kanepi, who will play eighth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the second round, said, "It's very tough to see that she has to retire this way." Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion from Britain, was eliminated in the first round after losing to Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (7/0), 6-2. Also read | Kiwi pacer Trent Boult steps out of his central contract. Fuels retirement talks "It was a really good match, to be honest," Raducanu said. "The level was pretty high, especially in the first set. "Camila's a great opponent. She won this tournament last year. I just need to get better at dealing with players who play probably as quick as she does " Six breaks to serve were traded between the two players in the first set before Giorgi flipped a switch and easily won the tiebreak, which was over in a flash after a Raducanu double-fault. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Osaka retires with back pain, Giorgi downs Raducanu in Toronto

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals.

It was the fourth meeting between Japan`s Osaka and Gauff, who finished runner-up in her maiden Grand Slam final at this year`s French Open, with the American levelling the head-to-head record at 2-2. 
Gauff did not allow a single opportunity on her serve in the opening set, with a sole break of Osaka`s delivery enough for the American to take it.

She dominated the twice Australian and U.S. Open champion in the second set to go 5-1, 40-0 up before the 24-year-old Osaka turned things around. Osaka saved four match points to hold serve and then broke Gauff, who committed two double faults, on her first opportunity in the eighth game.

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Osaka saved three more match points for her next service hold to narrow the deficit to 5-4 before Gauff converted her eighth match point with another big serve. "Even though I was up 5-1, 40-0 I knew I didn`t have the match in the bag yet and she proved that," Gauff said. "When you play Naomi she can play lights out tennis. I wasn`t too mad. I was just like, eventually it`ll calm down and if it doesn`t calm down then it`s probably not my day.

"The most proud was how I responded mentally. I could have easily folded in those couple of double-faults and match points that I lost. But I kept telling myself, `another point, another chance,` and then the music kind of helped on the bench. I was trying to sing along to the song to get me out of the match."

Next up for Gauff, who is third behind top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, will be second-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa. The WTA 500 tournament in San Jose, California lost its top seed on Thursday when world number three Maria Sakkari was beaten 6-1 6-3 by American Shelby Rogers.

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals.

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals. It was the fourth meeting between Japan`s Osaka and Gauff, who finished runner-up in her maiden Grand Slam final at this year`s French Open, with the American levelling the head-to-head record at 2-2. Gauff did not allow a single opportunity on her serve in the opening set, with a sole break of Osaka`s delivery enough for the American to take it. She dominated the twice Australian and U.S. Open champion in the second set to go 5-1, 40-0 up before the 24-year-old Osaka turned things around. Osaka saved four match points to hold serve and then broke Gauff, who committed two double faults, on her first opportunity in the eighth game. ALSO READ | World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev attains new milestone on winning return in Los Cabos Osaka saved three more match points for her next service hold to narrow the deficit to 5-4 before Gauff converted her eighth match point with another big serve. "Even though I was up 5-1, 40-0 I knew I didn`t have the match in the bag yet and she proved that," Gauff said. "When you play Naomi she can play lights out tennis. I wasn`t too mad. I was just like, eventually it`ll calm down and if it doesn`t calm down then it`s probably not my day. "The most proud was how I responded mentally. I could have easily folded in those couple of double-faults and match points that I lost. But I kept telling myself, `another point, another chance,` and then the music kind of helped on the bench. I was trying to sing along to the song to get me out of the match." Next up for Gauff, who is third behind top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, will be second-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa. The WTA 500 tournament in San Jose, California lost its top seed on Thursday when world number three Maria Sakkari was beaten 6-1 6-3 by American Shelby Rogers.

Teen sensation Coco Gauff stalls fierce fightback from Naomi Osaka in San Jose

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff.

Japan`s Osaka suffered a left Achilles injury in the lead-up to the French Open, where she lost in the opening round before pulling out of Wimbledon. The former world number one has her father back as coach after splitting with Wim Fissette and showed she has regained full fitness during her victory at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, California.

"My best friends are from here. So I`ve been to the campus and been to the class, on the side. I kind of feel like a local," Osaka, who has currently slipped down to 41 in the rankings, said on court. "It`s good to be back playing, I haven`t played since May. I didn`t realise that but somebody told me."

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Next up for Osaka, who won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, will be 18-year-old Gauff, who moved into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 thrashing of Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina. "What`s always impressed me about Coco is her mentality," Osaka, 24, said. "When I was her age, I would find myself getting frustrated and I would show it. I just think it`s really cool how she`s able to stay really neutral all the time.

"She`s been on the Tour for a while and I think people don`t know that because of how young she is. She`s improving every year, so I think there`s a lot that she`s learning and it`s only a matter of time before she wins a Slam." Gauff is ranked 11th in the world and made her maiden Grand Slam final in Paris this year. 
"Either way, win or lose, I think that the match is going to be great," the American said. 
"She`s such a champion, on and off the court, so I guess those are the type of people that you want to play, and I look forward to playing those matches."

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff.

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff. Japan`s Osaka suffered a left Achilles injury in the lead-up to the French Open, where she lost in the opening round before pulling out of Wimbledon. The former world number one has her father back as coach after splitting with Wim Fissette and showed she has regained full fitness during her victory at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, California. "My best friends are from here. So I`ve been to the campus and been to the class, on the side. I kind of feel like a local," Osaka, who has currently slipped down to 41 in the rankings, said on court. "It`s good to be back playing, I haven`t played since May. I didn`t realise that but somebody told me." ALSO READ | Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully passes away at 94 Next up for Osaka, who won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, will be 18-year-old Gauff, who moved into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 thrashing of Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina. "What`s always impressed me about Coco is her mentality," Osaka, 24, said. "When I was her age, I would find myself getting frustrated and I would show it. I just think it`s really cool how she`s able to stay really neutral all the time. "She`s been on the Tour for a while and I think people don`t know that because of how young she is. She`s improving every year, so I think there`s a lot that she`s learning and it`s only a matter of time before she wins a Slam." Gauff is ranked 11th in the world and made her maiden Grand Slam final in Paris this year. "Either way, win or lose, I think that the match is going to be great," the American said. "She`s such a champion, on and off the court, so I guess those are the type of people that you want to play, and I look forward to playing those matches."

Silicon Valley Classic: Naomi Osaka makes winning return, sets up mouth-watering clash vs Coco Gauff

Former world number one Naomi Osaka and her coach Wim Fissette ended their working relationship, the latter announced on Wednesday. "It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and see her grow into the champion she has become.

She has inspired a whole new generation to fall in love with the game &amp; to speak up for what they believe in," announcing the split from Osaka, Fissette wrote on Instagram. "It`s been incredible to play a part in that journey. Thank you ... I wish you all the best and looking forward to my next chapter."Osaka was Fissette`s latest high-profile charge on the WTA Tour.

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Prior to Osaka, the Belgian worked with compatriot Kim Clijsters, as well as other former World No. 1s Victoria Azarenka, Simon Halep and Angelique Kerber, among others. Their working relationship began at the start of the 2020 season, and together, Fisette helped guide Osaka to two of her four Grand Slam titles. She won the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open under Fissette`s tutelage. Osaka missed recent Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury after her first-round defeat at the 2022 French Open.

However, she`s expected to make her return in two weeks at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose. The former World No. 1 has accepted a wild card for the WTA 500 event, which begins Aug 1.&nbsp;

Former world number one Naomi Osaka and her coach Wim Fissette ended their working relationship, the latter announced on Wednesday. "It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and see her grow into the champion she has become.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka and her coach Wim Fissette ended their working relationship, the latter announced on Wednesday. "It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and see her grow into the champion she has become. She has inspired a whole new generation to fall in love with the game & to speak up for what they believe in," announcing the split from Osaka, Fissette wrote on Instagram. "It`s been incredible to play a part in that journey. Thank you ... I wish you all the best and looking forward to my next chapter."Osaka was Fissette`s latest high-profile charge on the WTA Tour. ALSO READ | Novak Djokovic to be ruled out of US Open as organisers to follow govt's guidelines on COVID-19 vaccine Prior to Osaka, the Belgian worked with compatriot Kim Clijsters, as well as other former World No. 1s Victoria Azarenka, Simon Halep and Angelique Kerber, among others. Their working relationship began at the start of the 2020 season, and together, Fisette helped guide Osaka to two of her four Grand Slam titles. She won the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open under Fissette`s tutelage. Osaka missed recent Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury after her first-round defeat at the 2022 French Open. However, she`s expected to make her return in two weeks at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose. The former World No. 1 has accepted a wild card for the WTA 500 event, which begins Aug 1.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka parts ways with longtime Belgian coach Wim Fissette

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from this month's Wimbledon championships for personal reasons, but her agent said that world number two will be ready for the Tokyo Olympics.

Japan's Osaka quit the French Open last month following her first-round victory after organizers fined her $15,000 and threatened her with expulsion from the tournament when she refused to attend mandatory post-match press conferences.

The 23-year-old, who said she has "social anxiety", explained that the media's line of questioning after matches impacted her mental well-being.

"Naomi won't be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans," Osaka's agent told Reuters via email.

Wimbledon organizers, the All England Lawn&nbsp;Tennis&nbsp;Club (AELTC), said Osaka would be "greatly missed" at the Grand Slam this year.

"We completely understand her decision," the AELTC said. "We wish her a happy time with her friends and family and look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year."

Osaka's participation at Wimbledon was in doubt this month when she pulled out of a WTA 500 grasscourt tournament in Berlin which was meant to serve as a tune-up for the Grand Slam.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, had announced in the build-up to the French Open that she would not face the media and stuck to her stance.

A strongly-worded letter from the board of the four Grand Slam tournaments followed, warning her of possible expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors - after which she announced her withdrawal on social media.

Osaka's sudden withdrawal led to an outpouring of support from fellow&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;professionals and other athletes, including Venus and Serena Williams, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and former Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt.

Judy Murray, a mother of three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, also spoke out in support of Osaka, saying&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;players faced extremely high demands from the media.

The reaction to Osaka's withdrawal put French Open organizers on the back foot. Although they defended their handling of the situation, they accepted that the governing bodies need to do better on mental health issues.

Osaka's withdrawal was a second major blow to Wimbledon on Thursday after 20-times Grand Slam winner Rafa Nadal announced he was skipping the grasscourt major following a grueling claycourt season.

Spaniard Nadal also said he would be skipping the Olympics, which begin on July 23.

Born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, Osaka grew up idolizing 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and turned professional in 2013 aged 15.

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from this month's Wimbledon championships for personal reasons, but her agent said that world number two will be ready for the Tokyo Olympics.

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from this month's Wimbledon championships for personal reasons, but her agent said that world number two will be ready for the Tokyo Olympics. Japan's Osaka quit the French Open last month following her first-round victory after organizers fined her $15,000 and threatened her with expulsion from the tournament when she refused to attend mandatory post-match press conferences. The 23-year-old, who said she has "social anxiety", explained that the media's line of questioning after matches impacted her mental well-being. "Naomi won't be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans," Osaka's agent told Reuters via email. Wimbledon organizers, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), said Osaka would be "greatly missed" at the Grand Slam this year. "We completely understand her decision," the AELTC said. "We wish her a happy time with her friends and family and look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year." Osaka's participation at Wimbledon was in doubt this month when she pulled out of a WTA 500 grasscourt tournament in Berlin which was meant to serve as a tune-up for the Grand Slam. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, had announced in the build-up to the French Open that she would not face the media and stuck to her stance. A strongly-worded letter from the board of the four Grand Slam tournaments followed, warning her of possible expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors - after which she announced her withdrawal on social media. Osaka's sudden withdrawal led to an outpouring of support from fellow tennis professionals and other athletes, including Venus and Serena Williams, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and former Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt. Judy Murray, a mother of three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, also spoke out in support of Osaka, saying tennis players faced extremely high demands from the media. The reaction to Osaka's withdrawal put French Open organizers on the back foot. Although they defended their handling of the situation, they accepted that the governing bodies need to do better on mental health issues. Osaka's withdrawal was a second major blow to Wimbledon on Thursday after 20-times Grand Slam winner Rafa Nadal announced he was skipping the grasscourt major following a grueling claycourt season. Spaniard Nadal also said he would be skipping the Olympics, which begin on July 23. Born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, Osaka grew up idolizing 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and turned professional in 2013 aged 15.

Tennis: Naomi Osaka pulls out of Wimbledon but aims for Olympics

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has pulled out of Wimbledon due to a left Achilles injury, the four-time Grand Slam champion said on Saturday. Japan`s Osaka suffered the injury in Madrid, forcing her to miss the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome in the leadup to the French Open where she lost in the first round.

Last week she posted a video on social media, saying: "Here`s me running on a underwater treadmill because my Achilles is being stubborn still (sic) I must be aging or something."

She added on Saturday: "My Achilles still isn`t right so I`ll see you next time."

Osaka had said after her defeat at Roland Garros that she was not 100% sure if she would play on grass this season.

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The men`s ATP and women`s WTA took away ranking points from the grasscourt Grand Slam after organisers the All&nbsp; England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) decided to ban participation by Russian and Belarusian players following Moscow`s invasion of Ukraine.

Osaka had reasoned that playing in the major without the possibility of earning points would not help her ranking and the decision of the authorities had reduced her motivation to play.

Osaka, who is ranked 43rd, also pulled out of Wimbledon last year after taking time off for "personal reasons" -- a month after quitting the French Open due to mental health issues.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has pulled out of Wimbledon due to a left Achilles injury, the four-time Grand Slam champion said on Saturday. Japan`s Osaka suffered the injury in Madrid, forcing her to miss the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome in the leadup to the French Open where she lost in the first round.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has pulled out of Wimbledon due to a left Achilles injury, the four-time Grand Slam champion said on Saturday. Japan`s Osaka suffered the injury in Madrid, forcing her to miss the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome in the leadup to the French Open where she lost in the first round. Last week she posted a video on social media, saying: "Here`s me running on a underwater treadmill because my Achilles is being stubborn still (sic) I must be aging or something." She added on Saturday: "My Achilles still isn`t right so I`ll see you next time." Osaka had said after her defeat at Roland Garros that she was not 100% sure if she would play on grass this season. Also Read: 'I don't support it': Ukraine's Svitolina on US Open’s decision to allow Russian players to participate The men`s ATP and women`s WTA took away ranking points from the grasscourt Grand Slam after organisers the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) decided to ban participation by Russian and Belarusian players following Moscow`s invasion of Ukraine. Osaka had reasoned that playing in the major without the possibility of earning points would not help her ranking and the decision of the authorities had reduced her motivation to play. Osaka, who is ranked 43rd, also pulled out of Wimbledon last year after taking time off for "personal reasons" -- a month after quitting the French Open due to mental health issues.

Naomi Osaka pulls out of Wimbledon 2022 due to Achilles injury

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s participation in Wimbledon was in doubt on Monday after the Japanese player said the decision by the sport`s authorities to strip the tournament of ranking points had reduced her motivation to play.

Wimbledon last week had its ranking points taken away by the men`s ATP and women`s WTA after the grasscourt major opted to exclude players from Russia and Belarus because of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine. "I would say the decision is kind of affecting, like, my mentality going into grass, like I`m not 100% sure if I`m going to go there," Osaka told a news conference after her first-round defeat at the French Open on Monday.

"I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but like at the same time, for me, it`s kind of like -- I don`t want to say pointless, no pun intended, but I`m the type of player that gets motivated by... seeing my ranking go up." The move by the ATP and WTA was met with "deep disappointment" by the All England Lawn Tennis Club who repeated their stance that the ban was the only viable option under British government guidance.

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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also said it will not grant ranking points to Wimbledon this year for junior and wheelchair tennis events. The AELTC decision to impose the suspension on Russian and Belarusian players at this year`s championships is the first time players have been excluded on grounds of nationality since the immediate post-World War Two era when German and Japanese players were banned. 
World number one Iga Swiatek said she would take part in Wimbledon, but implored the tennis governing bodies to come together to find a solution to the "tricky situation".

"I feel like it`s a pretty tricky situation, and every solution is going to be somehow the wrong one for some part of people or players," the Polish player said after an easy first-round win at Roland Garros. "I just hope that the people that are responsible for making the decisions, they are all going to come together so our sport is going to be united, because for now, I feel like it`s not united. We feel that in the locker room, so it`s pretty hard."

Swiatek expressed some sympathy for Russian and Belarussian players. "I also know that all the Russian and Belarusian players are not responsible in what`s going on in their country," she said. "But on the other hand, the sport has been used in politics and we are kind of public personas and we have some impact on people. It would be nice if the people who are making decisions were making decisions that are going to stop Russia`s aggression. But it`s a tricky one."

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s participation in Wimbledon was in doubt on Monday after the Japanese player said the decision by the sport`s authorities to strip the tournament of ranking points had reduced her motivation to play.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s participation in Wimbledon was in doubt on Monday after the Japanese player said the decision by the sport`s authorities to strip the tournament of ranking points had reduced her motivation to play. Wimbledon last week had its ranking points taken away by the men`s ATP and women`s WTA after the grasscourt major opted to exclude players from Russia and Belarus because of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine. "I would say the decision is kind of affecting, like, my mentality going into grass, like I`m not 100% sure if I`m going to go there," Osaka told a news conference after her first-round defeat at the French Open on Monday. "I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but like at the same time, for me, it`s kind of like -- I don`t want to say pointless, no pun intended, but I`m the type of player that gets motivated by... seeing my ranking go up." The move by the ATP and WTA was met with "deep disappointment" by the All England Lawn Tennis Club who repeated their stance that the ban was the only viable option under British government guidance. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal destroys Jordan Thompson to reach French Open second round The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also said it will not grant ranking points to Wimbledon this year for junior and wheelchair tennis events. The AELTC decision to impose the suspension on Russian and Belarusian players at this year`s championships is the first time players have been excluded on grounds of nationality since the immediate post-World War Two era when German and Japanese players were banned. World number one Iga Swiatek said she would take part in Wimbledon, but implored the tennis governing bodies to come together to find a solution to the "tricky situation". "I feel like it`s a pretty tricky situation, and every solution is going to be somehow the wrong one for some part of people or players," the Polish player said after an easy first-round win at Roland Garros. "I just hope that the people that are responsible for making the decisions, they are all going to come together so our sport is going to be united, because for now, I feel like it`s not united. We feel that in the locker room, so it`s pretty hard." Swiatek expressed some sympathy for Russian and Belarussian players. "I also know that all the Russian and Belarusian players are not responsible in what`s going on in their country," she said. "But on the other hand, the sport has been used in politics and we are kind of public personas and we have some impact on people. It would be nice if the people who are making decisions were making decisions that are going to stop Russia`s aggression. But it`s a tricky one."

Japan star Naomi Osaka unsure she will play Wimbledon 2022 after ranking points sanction

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s name appeared on the singles entry list for Wimbledon released by the organisers on Friday but veterans Roger Federer and the Williams sisters were not included. Osaka said last month that she was "not 100% sure" she would participate at the grasscourt Grand Slam because of the decision by the sport`s governing bodies to strip the tournament of ranking points had reduced her motivation to play.

Wimbledon had its ranking points taken away by the men`s ATP and women`s WTA after the grasscourt major opted to exclude players from Russia and Belarus because of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a `special operation`. Belarus has been a key staging area for the invasion.

Osaka, 24, also withdrew from Wimbledon last year after taking time off for "personal reasons" -- a month after quitting the French Open when she was overwhelmed by media duties.

Meanwhile, seven-time singles winner Serena Williams and her sister Venus, a five-time singles champion at the All England Club, were conspicuous by their absence.

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Serena, 40, has not played on the Tour since an injury during her first-round match at last year`s Wimbledon championships forced her to withdraw while Venus`s last appearance was at a WTA 250 event in Chicago last August.

In the men`s draw, Daniil Medvedev was the most notable omission due to the ban imposed by the All England Club. The Russian could even return to the top of the rankings without playing at Wimbledon as Novak Djokovic will lose the points he earned by lifting the title last year.

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Eight-times winner Roger Federer, who has not played since a quarter-final exit at Wimbledon last year, is also not on the entry list.

Federer, 40, underwent another knee surgery last year and his coach had said in March that a return at Wimbledon was unlikely for the 20-times major winner. The wildcards for the June 27-July 10 tournament are yet to be announced.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s name appeared on the singles entry list for Wimbledon released by the organisers on Friday but veterans Roger Federer and the Williams sisters were not included.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka`s name appeared on the singles entry list for Wimbledon released by the organisers on Friday but veterans Roger Federer and the Williams sisters were not included. Osaka said last month that she was "not 100% sure" she would participate at the grasscourt Grand Slam because of the decision by the sport`s governing bodies to strip the tournament of ranking points had reduced her motivation to play. Wimbledon had its ranking points taken away by the men`s ATP and women`s WTA after the grasscourt major opted to exclude players from Russia and Belarus because of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a `special operation`. Belarus has been a key staging area for the invasion. Osaka, 24, also withdrew from Wimbledon last year after taking time off for "personal reasons" -- a month after quitting the French Open when she was overwhelmed by media duties. Meanwhile, seven-time singles winner Serena Williams and her sister Venus, a five-time singles champion at the All England Club, were conspicuous by their absence. Also Read: World no.1 Iga Swiatek demolishes Coco Gauff in straight sets to win second French Open title Serena, 40, has not played on the Tour since an injury during her first-round match at last year`s Wimbledon championships forced her to withdraw while Venus`s last appearance was at a WTA 250 event in Chicago last August. In the men`s draw, Daniil Medvedev was the most notable omission due to the ban imposed by the All England Club. The Russian could even return to the top of the rankings without playing at Wimbledon as Novak Djokovic will lose the points he earned by lifting the title last year. Also Read: 'I'd prefer to lose the final': Rafael Nadal ready to sacrifice 22nd Grand Slam title for new left foot Eight-times winner Roger Federer, who has not played since a quarter-final exit at Wimbledon last year, is also not on the entry list. Federer, 40, underwent another knee surgery last year and his coach had said in March that a return at Wimbledon was unlikely for the 20-times major winner. The wildcards for the June 27-July 10 tournament are yet to be announced.

Naomi Osaka in Wimbledon entry list, Roger Federer and Williams sisters absent

Japan`s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the French Open in a 7-5 6-4 first-round loss to American Amanda Anisimova on Monday, a year after her dramatic withdrawal from the claycourt Grand Slam tournament amid mental health issues.

Up against 27th seed Anisimova, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka never looked comfortable on her least favourite surface as she struggled to control her powerful game. The first three games all went against serve in a tense start but Anisimova held to go 3-1 ahead.

A backhand error by Anisimova allowed Osaka to level for 3-3, but a double fault in the 11th game allowed Anisimova to move 6-5 up and she held serve to love to take the set. Anisimova broke decisively for 4-3 in the second set as Osaka again double faulted game.

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After a couple of match points went begging, Anisimova finished it off with a stunning backhand winner down the line. Osaka withdrew from the tournament in 2021 after boycotting post-match media duties for mental health reasons.

In the build-up to last year`s French Open, Osaka said she would not attend the obligatory news conferences for players after matches as they impacted her mental wellbeing. The Japanese, who at that time revealed she had been suffering from depression for almost three years, returned to competitive tennis at the Tokyo Olympics after the saga cast a spotlight on players` post-match media duties. 
Roland Garros organisers conceded they could "do better" on mental health this year.

Japan`s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the French Open in a 7-5 6-4 first-round loss to American Amanda Anisimova on Monday, a year after her dramatic withdrawal from the claycourt Grand Slam tournament amid mental health issues.

Japan`s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the French Open in a 7-5 6-4 first-round loss to American Amanda Anisimova on Monday, a year after her dramatic withdrawal from the claycourt Grand Slam tournament amid mental health issues. Up against 27th seed Anisimova, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka never looked comfortable on her least favourite surface as she struggled to control her powerful game. The first three games all went against serve in a tense start but Anisimova held to go 3-1 ahead. A backhand error by Anisimova allowed Osaka to level for 3-3, but a double fault in the 11th game allowed Anisimova to move 6-5 up and she held serve to love to take the set. Anisimova broke decisively for 4-3 in the second set as Osaka again double faulted game. ALSO READ | French Open 2022: Carlos Alcaraz goes past Juan Ignacio Londero to enter second round After a couple of match points went begging, Anisimova finished it off with a stunning backhand winner down the line. Osaka withdrew from the tournament in 2021 after boycotting post-match media duties for mental health reasons. In the build-up to last year`s French Open, Osaka said she would not attend the obligatory news conferences for players after matches as they impacted her mental wellbeing. The Japanese, who at that time revealed she had been suffering from depression for almost three years, returned to competitive tennis at the Tokyo Olympics after the saga cast a spotlight on players` post-match media duties. Roland Garros organisers conceded they could "do better" on mental health this year.

French Open: Japan's Naomi Osaka knocked out in opening round by Amanda Anisimova

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 13-times winner Rafael Nadal are on a quarter-final collision course at the French Open following the draw on Thursday. World number one Djokovic, back on the Grand Slam scene after being deported from Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open following his decision not to have a COVID-19 vaccination, will start his campaign against Japan`s Yoshihito Nishioka.

He was drawn in the toughest half of the draw with Nadal as well as in-form Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz and world number three Alexander Zverev, who could clash in the last eight. The French Open will operate at full capacity for the first time in three years after the last two tournaments were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "It`s amazing to see all the fans who have already come here for the qualifications," said Djokovic, who attended the draw ceremony at Roland Garros.

In the lower part of the draw, last year`s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas faces a tricky first-round match against Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who last year took Djokovic to five sets in the fourth round. World number two Daniil Medvedev could take on compatriot Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals as Russian players have been allowed to compete despite their country`s invasion of Ukraine.

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Wimbledon organisers have decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players from taking part in the grasscourt Grand Slam this year. In the women`s draw, hot favourite Iga Swiatek, looking to secure her second French Open title in three years, could face former champion Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16. 
Ostapenko was the last player to beat the Polish world number one before she started her 28-match unbeaten streak, winning five titles before the start of the French Open on Sunday.

Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova is on a last-16 collision course with former world number one Victoria Azarenka in the lower part of the draw. Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the tournament last year after skipping her media duties and citing mental health issues, has been drawn to face American Amanda Anisimova, the 27th seed.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 13-times winner Rafael Nadal are on a quarter-final collision course at the French Open following the draw on Thursday. World number one Djokovic, back on the Grand Slam scene after being deported from Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open following his decision not to have a COVID-19 vaccination, will start his campaign against Japan`s Yoshihito Nishioka.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 13-times winner Rafael Nadal are on a quarter-final collision course at the French Open following the draw on Thursday. World number one Djokovic, back on the Grand Slam scene after being deported from Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open following his decision not to have a COVID-19 vaccination, will start his campaign against Japan`s Yoshihito Nishioka. He was drawn in the toughest half of the draw with Nadal as well as in-form Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz and world number three Alexander Zverev, who could clash in the last eight. The French Open will operate at full capacity for the first time in three years after the last two tournaments were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "It`s amazing to see all the fans who have already come here for the qualifications," said Djokovic, who attended the draw ceremony at Roland Garros. In the lower part of the draw, last year`s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas faces a tricky first-round match against Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who last year took Djokovic to five sets in the fourth round. World number two Daniil Medvedev could take on compatriot Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals as Russian players have been allowed to compete despite their country`s invasion of Ukraine. ALSO READ | 'Sunshine double': Novak Djokovic and his 7-year-old son win tournaments on same day Wimbledon organisers have decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players from taking part in the grasscourt Grand Slam this year. In the women`s draw, hot favourite Iga Swiatek, looking to secure her second French Open title in three years, could face former champion Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16. Ostapenko was the last player to beat the Polish world number one before she started her 28-match unbeaten streak, winning five titles before the start of the French Open on Sunday. Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova is on a last-16 collision course with former world number one Victoria Azarenka in the lower part of the draw. Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the tournament last year after skipping her media duties and citing mental health issues, has been drawn to face American Amanda Anisimova, the 27th seed.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal could lock horns in French Open quarter-finals

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday. Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu is still rolling at the Madrid Open. The No.9 seed moved safely through to the last 16 in the Spanish capital with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, her fifth win in her first seven tour-level matches on clay.

Having won back-to-back matches just once in the six months following her US Open triumph last summer, Raducanu has now done so twice in as many weeks this clay-court season.Later, Jil Teichman knocked out No.17 seed Leylah Fernandez to reach Round 3. The 6-4, 6-4 win was Teichmann`s third over a Top 20 player this season, and first on clay since she beat then-World No.5 Elina Svitolina in the first round of Madrid a year ago.

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She`ll next face No.16 seed Elena Rybakina, who moved through to the last 16 after Katerina Siniakova retired from their match after playing seven games. Later, Spanish hope Sara Sorribes Tormo posted a career-best result, ousting former World No.1 Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 28 minutes of play to reach the Round of 16.In the Round of 16, Sorribes Tormo will square off against Daria Kasatkina, who also notched a big win on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 upset of No.4 seed Maria Sakkari.

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday.

Emma Raducanu registered a second-round win over longtime junior rival Marta Kostyuk to reach Round 3 at the Madrid Open, while Sara Sorribes Tormo defeated Naomi Osaka for the second time in their four meetings on Sunday. Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu is still rolling at the Madrid Open. The No.9 seed moved safely through to the last 16 in the Spanish capital with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, her fifth win in her first seven tour-level matches on clay. Having won back-to-back matches just once in the six months following her US Open triumph last summer, Raducanu has now done so twice in as many weeks this clay-court season.Later, Jil Teichman knocked out No.17 seed Leylah Fernandez to reach Round 3. The 6-4, 6-4 win was Teichmann`s third over a Top 20 player this season, and first on clay since she beat then-World No.5 Elina Svitolina in the first round of Madrid a year ago. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: Bianca Andreescu dominates Danielle Collins for first top-10 win on clay She`ll next face No.16 seed Elena Rybakina, who moved through to the last 16 after Katerina Siniakova retired from their match after playing seven games. Later, Spanish hope Sara Sorribes Tormo posted a career-best result, ousting former World No.1 Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 28 minutes of play to reach the Round of 16.In the Round of 16, Sorribes Tormo will square off against Daria Kasatkina, who also notched a big win on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 upset of No.4 seed Maria Sakkari.

Madrid Open: Emma Raducanu advances ahead, Sorribes Tormo ousts Japan's Naomi Osaka

Poland's Iga Swiatek will take over the world number one ranking in style as she kept her remarkable winning run intact with a 6-4 6-0 win over Japan's Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final on Saturday.

The Polish second seed, who will take over the world number one ranking next week, did not drop a set in Miami and has now won 17 consecutive matches dating back to her championship run at the Qatar Open in February.

With the victory, the 20-year-old Swiatek becomes only the fourth woman to win the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments back-to-back, a feat known as the "Sunshine Double" given the tournaments'&nbsp;respective locations in California and Florida.

"These weeks were so intense I didn't really know if I would able to keep up with the streak that I have," said Swiatek, who also became the first woman to win the opening three WTA 1000 tournaments in a season.

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"It's amazing for me that I could show mental toughness because my whole life I thought I could do more and sometimes I was losing and I didn't even know why.

"This season I feel like everything clicked so it's great and I am really happy."

The two players wasted no time getting into the heat of the battle as the match began with a wild seven-deuce opening game during which four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka saved two break points and fired down four aces to hold serve.

The match remained on serve until Swiatek broke Osaka when she ripped a brilliant crosscourt backhand winner to go ahead 3-2 and then went on to close out the first set without facing a break point despite serving under 40%.

The former French Open champion raised her level in the second where she broke Osaka three times to race out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back as she sealed the 79-minute match on her first championship point when Osaka sent a forehand wide.

Swiatek is the first women to complete the "Sunshine Double" since Victoria Azarenka in 2016. Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) are the other women to accomplish the feat.

Osaka arrived in Florida following a second-round loss at Indian Wells where she was reduced to tears after being heckled during the match but she proved resilient as she would only drop one set en route to the Miami final.

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In the final, Osaka did well to hold serve in a tricky 10-minute game to start the match and while she was not able to do much against a determined Swiatek after that she still held her head high.

"I haven't been in this position for a little minute," said the 24-year-old Osaka, who took a break from the sport last year to prioritise her mental health.

"I know this isn't the outcome that you guys wanted but I am having a lot of fun out here so I hope that I can keep working hard and get more opportunities to be in a situation like this again."

Swiatek will take over the top ranking from Ash Barty, who stunned the sporting world last month when she announced her retirement from tennis aged 25.

Poland's Iga Swiatek will take over the world number one ranking in style as she kept her remarkable winning run intact with a 6-4 6-0 win over Japan's Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final on Saturday.

Poland's Iga Swiatek will take over the world number one ranking in style as she kept her remarkable winning run intact with a 6-4 6-0 win over Japan's Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final on Saturday. The Polish second seed, who will take over the world number one ranking next week, did not drop a set in Miami and has now won 17 consecutive matches dating back to her championship run at the Qatar Open in February. With the victory, the 20-year-old Swiatek becomes only the fourth woman to win the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments back-to-back, a feat known as the "Sunshine Double" given the tournaments' respective locations in California and Florida. "These weeks were so intense I didn't really know if I would able to keep up with the streak that I have," said Swiatek, who also became the first woman to win the opening three WTA 1000 tournaments in a season. ALSO READ: Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios fined $35,000 for Miami Open violations "It's amazing for me that I could show mental toughness because my whole life I thought I could do more and sometimes I was losing and I didn't even know why. "This season I feel like everything clicked so it's great and I am really happy." The two players wasted no time getting into the heat of the battle as the match began with a wild seven-deuce opening game during which four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka saved two break points and fired down four aces to hold serve. The match remained on serve until Swiatek broke Osaka when she ripped a brilliant crosscourt backhand winner to go ahead 3-2 and then went on to close out the first set without facing a break point despite serving under 40%. The former French Open champion raised her level in the second where she broke Osaka three times to race out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back as she sealed the 79-minute match on her first championship point when Osaka sent a forehand wide. Swiatek is the first women to complete the "Sunshine Double" since Victoria Azarenka in 2016. Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) are the other women to accomplish the feat. Osaka arrived in Florida following a second-round loss at Indian Wells where she was reduced to tears after being heckled during the match but she proved resilient as she would only drop one set en route to the Miami final. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Iga Swiatek runs down Petra Kvitova to enter semis, Casper Ruud stuns Alexander Zverev In the final, Osaka did well to hold serve in a tricky 10-minute game to start the match and while she was not able to do much against a determined Swiatek after that she still held her head high. "I haven't been in this position for a little minute," said the 24-year-old Osaka, who took a break from the sport last year to prioritise her mental health. "I know this isn't the outcome that you guys wanted but I am having a lot of fun out here so I hope that I can keep working hard and get more opportunities to be in a situation like this again." Swiatek will take over the top ranking from Ash Barty, who stunned the sporting world last month when she announced her retirement from tennis aged 25.

Miami Open: Poland's Iga Swiatek beats Naomi Osaka to clinch title, replaces Ash Barty as world no.1

Former world No.1 and winner of four Grand Slams, Naomi Osaka of Japan, lost only three games in her 6-2, 6-1 victory over No.9 seed Danielle Collins of the US to make it to her maiden Miami Open semifinal on Wednesday (IST).

The Florida native fired 13 aces against the Australian Open semifinalist en route to meeting defending champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the last-four.

With the victory, the twice US Open and two-time Australian Open winner became the second Japanese woman to reach the last-four at the Miami Open since Kimiko Date Krumm did so in 1993 and 1995.

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If Osaka beats Bencic in the semifinal, it will be the 24-year-old Japanese player`s first WTA 1000 final since 2020. 
 
Osaka has not lost a set en route to the Miami semifinals, having defeated Astra Sharma of Australia, Angelique Kerber of Germany, Alison Riske of the US, and No.9 seed Collins.

She has now won nine of her last 10 quarterfinals and carries a strong record in semifinals into her match against Bencic, who she has yet to beat in a tour-level match, according to wtatennis.com. 
 
"I`m glad I was able to get through quickly. I focused on trying to hit a lot of really good returns," Osaka said following her 60-minute win. "This is actually my first night match too, so I didn't know what the conditions would be like." 
 
Miami will be Osaka's 18th career semifinal, with 16 having come on her favoured hard courts. The two exceptions came on grass at 2018 Nottingham and clay at 2019 Stuttgart. Since the start of 2019, Osaka is 6-1 in contested semifinals. 
 
"After Australia, I was training really hard every day," Osaka said. "I went to Indian Wells with the intention to do really well, and then I didn't. But (coach) Wim (Fissette) told me, 'listen, you're playing really well'. But it's hard to listen to someone tell you you're playing well without having the results to back it up. 
 
"I'm glad that, in a way, I don't have a good ranking, because I'm able to play the matches that I need to play. I feel like I'm the type of person that plays better with more matches, so actually having back-to-back matches benefits me a lot." Osaka is currently ranked No. 77 in the world. 
 
She will now turn her focus to Bencic, who has also looked in dominant form. Seeded No.22 this week, Bencic has not lost a set and has lost just 17 games across her four matches. On Wednesday, she defeated Daria Saville of Australia 6-1, 6-2.

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Osaka's solitary win against Bencic came on the ITF level back in 2013. The 25-year-old Swiss has beaten Osaka in their three matches on the WTA Tour, with their last meeting coming at the 2019 US Open Round of 16. 
 
"I get really emotional when I play people around my age or younger," Osaka said. "I don't know if it`s like this thing that I want to be better than them, but I just automatically put a lot of pressure on myself. I kind of acknowledged that after I lost to Coco (Gauff) that one year. I'm just like, you know what? I'm at an age there is going to be a bunch of young, really good players, and I have to respect them and know that they are here for a reason. I was once in their shoes. 
 
"I think my mentality was a very big part in my losses back then. Hopefully, it will be better, because I feel like I have kind of worked through it. So hopefully on Thursday, it will be more about tennis. She's a really good tennis player. She won the gold in Tokyo, which I really wanted to win. She's clearly ranked where she is for a reason."

Former world No.1 and winner of four Grand Slams, Naomi Osaka of Japan, lost only three games in her 6-2, 6-1 victory over No.9 seed Danielle Collins of the US to make it to her maiden Miami Open semifinal on Wednesday (IST).

Former world No.1 and winner of four Grand Slams, Naomi Osaka of Japan, lost only three games in her 6-2, 6-1 victory over No.9 seed Danielle Collins of the US to make it to her maiden Miami Open semifinal on Wednesday (IST). The Florida native fired 13 aces against the Australian Open semifinalist en route to meeting defending champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the last-four. With the victory, the twice US Open and two-time Australian Open winner became the second Japanese woman to reach the last-four at the Miami Open since Kimiko Date Krumm did so in 1993 and 1995. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Russia's Daniil Medvedev one win away from reclaiming No. 1 spot If Osaka beats Bencic in the semifinal, it will be the 24-year-old Japanese player`s first WTA 1000 final since 2020. Osaka has not lost a set en route to the Miami semifinals, having defeated Astra Sharma of Australia, Angelique Kerber of Germany, Alison Riske of the US, and No.9 seed Collins. She has now won nine of her last 10 quarterfinals and carries a strong record in semifinals into her match against Bencic, who she has yet to beat in a tour-level match, according to wtatennis.com. "I`m glad I was able to get through quickly. I focused on trying to hit a lot of really good returns," Osaka said following her 60-minute win. "This is actually my first night match too, so I didn't know what the conditions would be like." Miami will be Osaka's 18th career semifinal, with 16 having come on her favoured hard courts. The two exceptions came on grass at 2018 Nottingham and clay at 2019 Stuttgart. Since the start of 2019, Osaka is 6-1 in contested semifinals. "After Australia, I was training really hard every day," Osaka said. "I went to Indian Wells with the intention to do really well, and then I didn't. But (coach) Wim (Fissette) told me, 'listen, you're playing really well'. But it's hard to listen to someone tell you you're playing well without having the results to back it up. "I'm glad that, in a way, I don't have a good ranking, because I'm able to play the matches that I need to play. I feel like I'm the type of person that plays better with more matches, so actually having back-to-back matches benefits me a lot." Osaka is currently ranked No. 77 in the world. She will now turn her focus to Bencic, who has also looked in dominant form. Seeded No.22 this week, Bencic has not lost a set and has lost just 17 games across her four matches. On Wednesday, she defeated Daria Saville of Australia 6-1, 6-2. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Jannik Sinner saves five match points to beat Carreno Busta; Coco Gauff, Cameron Norrie advance Osaka's solitary win against Bencic came on the ITF level back in 2013. The 25-year-old Swiss has beaten Osaka in their three matches on the WTA Tour, with their last meeting coming at the 2019 US Open Round of 16. "I get really emotional when I play people around my age or younger," Osaka said. "I don't know if it`s like this thing that I want to be better than them, but I just automatically put a lot of pressure on myself. I kind of acknowledged that after I lost to Coco (Gauff) that one year. I'm just like, you know what? I'm at an age there is going to be a bunch of young, really good players, and I have to respect them and know that they are here for a reason. I was once in their shoes. "I think my mentality was a very big part in my losses back then. Hopefully, it will be better, because I feel like I have kind of worked through it. So hopefully on Thursday, it will be more about tennis. She's a really good tennis player. She won the gold in Tokyo, which I really wanted to win. She's clearly ranked where she is for a reason."

Miami Open: Naomi Osaka outclasses Danielle Collins to set up maiden semifinal date against Belinda Bencic

Top seed Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one ranking as he beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-4 on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open while Naomi Osaka cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's draw.

Medvedev, who can replace Novak Djokovic on top of the world rankings if he reaches the Miami semi-finals, fired down 14 aces, won 79% of his first-serve points and broke Martinez three times to secure victory in 84 minutes.

"I just felt like I had to be more consistent, and the more consistent one today would win," Medvedev said.

"I managed to just make a few less errors at important moments, serve even better, and it was a small margin but I managed to win and I'm really happy."

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Up next for the Russian, who lost his world number one ranking after a surprise third-round loss at Indian Wells two weeks ago, will be American Jenson Brooksby, a 6-3 5-7 6-4 winner over Spanish 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Spanish 14th seed Carlos Alcaraz will meet Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a mouth-watering fourth-round clash after both enjoyed straight-set wins over Marin Cilic and Alex de Minaur respectively.

The 18-year-old Alcaraz beat Tsitsipas in their only previous meeting, a five-set thriller in the third round of last year's U.S. Open.

"He is a great player," Tsitsipas said of Alcaraz.

"For me it will be a great challenge, the ones that I like."

Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz converted both of his break point opportunities to dispatch fellow American Tommy Paul 7-6(2) 6-4 and will meet Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, a 7-6(4) 6-3 winner over Sebastian Korda.

Fritz said it is all about managing expectations.

"I didn't really think about winning Indian Wells until I had match point in the final," he said.

"So I'm approaching this one the same way. I don't expect to win the tournament, but I take it one match at a time, and you never know."

OSAKA SERVES UP WIN

Japan's Osaka reached the quarter-finals for a second consecutive year with a 6-3 6-4 win over American Alison Riske during which she won 70% of her first-serve points and recovered after falling behind 2-0 in the second set.

After the match the unseeded Osaka expressed how she is in a different state of mind than last year when arriving at the Miami Open ranked second after winning the Australian Open.

"It's really funny for me because last year I made it to the (Miami) quarters too but it was after I won Australia and I wasn`t that grateful, I kind of expected to win," said Osaka.

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"But I'm in the same position this year and I am so like, this is really like one of the funnest times of my life."

Standing between four-times Grand Slam champion Osaka and a first Miami semi-final spot will be ninth-seeded Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, who beat Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur 6-2 6-4.

Poland's new world number one Iga Swiatek eased past 14th seed Coco Gauff 6-3 6-1 and will next face Petra Kvitova after the Czech defeated Veronika Kudermatova 7-6(5) 6-4 to reach the quarters.

Spanish fifth seed Paula Badosa closes out the evening session against Czech wildcard Linda Fruhvirtova.

Top seed Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one ranking as he beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-4 on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open while Naomi Osaka cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's draw.

Top seed Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one ranking as he beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-4 on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open while Naomi Osaka cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's draw. Medvedev, who can replace Novak Djokovic on top of the world rankings if he reaches the Miami semi-finals, fired down 14 aces, won 79% of his first-serve points and broke Martinez three times to secure victory in 84 minutes. "I just felt like I had to be more consistent, and the more consistent one today would win," Medvedev said. "I managed to just make a few less errors at important moments, serve even better, and it was a small margin but I managed to win and I'm really happy." ALSO READ: Miami Open: Rohan Bopanna-Denis Shapovalov pair stuns Croatia's Nikola Mektic-Mate Pavic to enter quarters Up next for the Russian, who lost his world number one ranking after a surprise third-round loss at Indian Wells two weeks ago, will be American Jenson Brooksby, a 6-3 5-7 6-4 winner over Spanish 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Spanish 14th seed Carlos Alcaraz will meet Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a mouth-watering fourth-round clash after both enjoyed straight-set wins over Marin Cilic and Alex de Minaur respectively. The 18-year-old Alcaraz beat Tsitsipas in their only previous meeting, a five-set thriller in the third round of last year's U.S. Open. "He is a great player," Tsitsipas said of Alcaraz. "For me it will be a great challenge, the ones that I like." Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz converted both of his break point opportunities to dispatch fellow American Tommy Paul 7-6(2) 6-4 and will meet Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, a 7-6(4) 6-3 winner over Sebastian Korda. Fritz said it is all about managing expectations. "I didn't really think about winning Indian Wells until I had match point in the final," he said. "So I'm approaching this one the same way. I don't expect to win the tournament, but I take it one match at a time, and you never know." OSAKA SERVES UP WIN Japan's Osaka reached the quarter-finals for a second consecutive year with a 6-3 6-4 win over American Alison Riske during which she won 70% of her first-serve points and recovered after falling behind 2-0 in the second set. After the match the unseeded Osaka expressed how she is in a different state of mind than last year when arriving at the Miami Open ranked second after winning the Australian Open. "It's really funny for me because last year I made it to the (Miami) quarters too but it was after I won Australia and I wasn`t that grateful, I kind of expected to win," said Osaka. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Jannik Sinner saves five match points to beat Carreno Busta; Coco Gauff, Cameron Norrie advance "But I'm in the same position this year and I am so like, this is really like one of the funnest times of my life." Standing between four-times Grand Slam champion Osaka and a first Miami semi-final spot will be ninth-seeded Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, who beat Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur 6-2 6-4. Poland's new world number one Iga Swiatek eased past 14th seed Coco Gauff 6-3 6-1 and will next face Petra Kvitova after the Czech defeated Veronika Kudermatova 7-6(5) 6-4 to reach the quarters. Spanish fifth seed Paula Badosa closes out the evening session against Czech wildcard Linda Fruhvirtova.

Miami Open: Daniil Medvedev outclasses Pedro Martinez to reach last 16, Naomi Osaka storms into quarter-finals

Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 17 aces to topple France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(5) 6-2 and keep his title defence going at the Miami Open on Saturday as world number two Daniil Medvedev sent twice winner Andy Murray packing and Naomi Osaka advanced on a walkover.

Rinderknech was unable to convert his sole break point in the first set and lost the momentum altogether after the tiebreak, as the 10th-ranked Pole won the first four games of the second set of their second-round clash.

Reigning U.S. Open champion Medvedev never faced a break and proved too nimble for three-times Grand Slam winner Murray, dropping just two of his first-serve points in the second set as he won 6-4 6-2.

"Playing against Andy is never easy," said Russian Medvedev, who is on a quest to regain his number-one ranking. "Managed to serve well, and I think that was one of the keys today."

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Japan's Osaka advanced to the fourth round on a walkover after Czech Karolina Muchova withdrew following an injury she sustained during warm-ups.

The four-times Grand Slam champion will next face Alison Riske, who defeated Ann Li 6-2 3-6 6-3 in an all-American clash.

Muchova's was the latest injury to mar the women's field in Miami after Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep pulled out on Thursday.

TSITSIPAS PULLS AWAY LATE, ALCARAZ GETS FIRST MIAMI WIN

World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas held off strong resistance from American qualifier J.J. Wolf and won 6-4 6-7(5) 6-1.

The Greek, who hit 37 winners, will next face Alex de Minaur who defeated fellow Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2 6-3.

"He's a fighter," Tsitsipas said of de Minaur. "I really hope to bring out the same kind of level that I brought in the third set and maintain that throughout the match."

Spain's 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz secured his maiden win at the Miami event with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory against Marton Fucsovics of Hungary.

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Fresh from collecting the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells, American Taylor Fritz survived a surprise test from Kazakhstani qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin to win 6-3 5-7 6-3.

Kukushkin put up a strong defence, with eight of 11 break points saved, but struggled against his opponent`s powerful serve, with the 13th-ranked Fritz launching 10 aces.

Fritz drew a picture of the sun and the caption "x 2?" on the on-court camera after the match - a hint that he perhaps was chasing tennis's elusive "sunshine double" of Indian Wells and Miami - but said afterwards that the gesture was intended as a joke.

"I'm not coming here expecting to win the tournament or anything. I'm going into it with the same mentality as Indian Wells," he said in a televised interview. "Take it one match at a time."

Fritz's Indian Wells quarter-final opponent, Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, dispatched seventh-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 and Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut moved past Pole Kamil Majchrzak 6-3 6-3.

SHAPOVALOV, KHACHANOV KNOCKED OUT

Canadian Denis Shapovalov lost 6-3 6-4 to Lloyd Harris of South Africa, American Jenson Brooksby defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 6-1 and Marin Cilic beat Alexei Popyrin 6-0 6-3.

Karen Khachanov lost 6-4 3-6 7-6(3) to Tommy Paul, Daniel Evans suffered a 3-6 6-4 6-3 defeat by qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka and Cristian Garin was knocked out 7-6(2) 6-2 by Pedro Martinez.

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Aslan Karatsev won 7-5 6-2 against Ugo Humbert and Sebastian Korda beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3.

In the women's field, Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins of the United States beat Vera Zvonareva 6-1 6-4, while Olympic champion Belinda Bencic eased past Britain's Heather Watson 6-4 6-1.

Swiss Bencic, who suffered early exits from Indian Wells earlier this month and Doha in February, launched five aces across the net as Watson struggled on the return and was only able to convert one of eight break points.

In the late contest, Tunisian world number 10 Ons Jabeur defeated Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-3 6-0.

Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 17 aces to topple France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(5) 6-2 and keep his title defence going at the Miami Open on Saturday as world number two Daniil Medvedev sent twice winner Andy Murray packing and Naomi Osaka advanced on a walkover.

Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 17 aces to topple France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6(5) 6-2 and keep his title defence going at the Miami Open on Saturday as world number two Daniil Medvedev sent twice winner Andy Murray packing and Naomi Osaka advanced on a walkover. Rinderknech was unable to convert his sole break point in the first set and lost the momentum altogether after the tiebreak, as the 10th-ranked Pole won the first four games of the second set of their second-round clash. Reigning U.S. Open champion Medvedev never faced a break and proved too nimble for three-times Grand Slam winner Murray, dropping just two of his first-serve points in the second set as he won 6-4 6-2. "Playing against Andy is never easy," said Russian Medvedev, who is on a quest to regain his number-one ranking. "Managed to serve well, and I think that was one of the keys today." ALSO READ: Iga Swiatek set to become Poland's first World No. 1 in tennis history after win against Golubic in Miami Open Japan's Osaka advanced to the fourth round on a walkover after Czech Karolina Muchova withdrew following an injury she sustained during warm-ups. The four-times Grand Slam champion will next face Alison Riske, who defeated Ann Li 6-2 3-6 6-3 in an all-American clash. Muchova's was the latest injury to mar the women's field in Miami after Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep pulled out on Thursday. TSITSIPAS PULLS AWAY LATE, ALCARAZ GETS FIRST MIAMI WIN World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas held off strong resistance from American qualifier J.J. Wolf and won 6-4 6-7(5) 6-1. The Greek, who hit 37 winners, will next face Alex de Minaur who defeated fellow Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2 6-3. "He's a fighter," Tsitsipas said of de Minaur. "I really hope to bring out the same kind of level that I brought in the third set and maintain that throughout the match." Spain's 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz secured his maiden win at the Miami event with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory against Marton Fucsovics of Hungary. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Former World No. 1 Simona Halep pulls out with leg injury, set to miss three weeks Fresh from collecting the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells, American Taylor Fritz survived a surprise test from Kazakhstani qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin to win 6-3 5-7 6-3. Kukushkin put up a strong defence, with eight of 11 break points saved, but struggled against his opponent`s powerful serve, with the 13th-ranked Fritz launching 10 aces. Fritz drew a picture of the sun and the caption "x 2?" on the on-court camera after the match - a hint that he perhaps was chasing tennis's elusive "sunshine double" of Indian Wells and Miami - but said afterwards that the gesture was intended as a joke. "I'm not coming here expecting to win the tournament or anything. I'm going into it with the same mentality as Indian Wells," he said in a televised interview. "Take it one match at a time." Fritz's Indian Wells quarter-final opponent, Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, dispatched seventh-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 and Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut moved past Pole Kamil Majchrzak 6-3 6-3. SHAPOVALOV, KHACHANOV KNOCKED OUT Canadian Denis Shapovalov lost 6-3 6-4 to Lloyd Harris of South Africa, American Jenson Brooksby defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 6-1 and Marin Cilic beat Alexei Popyrin 6-0 6-3. Karen Khachanov lost 6-4 3-6 7-6(3) to Tommy Paul, Daniel Evans suffered a 3-6 6-4 6-3 defeat by qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka and Cristian Garin was knocked out 7-6(2) 6-2 by Pedro Martinez. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Nick Kyrgios storms into second round, Naomi Osaka wins first match since heckling incident Aslan Karatsev won 7-5 6-2 against Ugo Humbert and Sebastian Korda beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3. In the women's field, Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins of the United States beat Vera Zvonareva 6-1 6-4, while Olympic champion Belinda Bencic eased past Britain's Heather Watson 6-4 6-1. Swiss Bencic, who suffered early exits from Indian Wells earlier this month and Doha in February, launched five aces across the net as Watson struggled on the return and was only able to convert one of eight break points. In the late contest, Tunisian world number 10 Ons Jabeur defeated Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-3 6-0.

Miami Open: Hubert Hurkacz on course for title defence, Medvedev topples Murray, Naomi Osaka gets walkover

Australian Nick Kyrgios sealed a comfortable victory over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, while former world number one Naomi Osaka defeated Astra Sharma.

Wildcard Kyrgios fired down 12 aces and did not face a single breakpoint in his 7-6(3) 6-3 win.

"It was a hell of a performance," Kyrgios said. "Getting on late, it wasn’t easy. So I'm really proud of myself with the way I responded. I felt good, I competed well today against a tough opponent."

The Australian said he would be a "complete underdog" in his second-round match against Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev.

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"But I feel confident. If I'm serving well and play well from the back, I can beat anyone," he added.

Earlier, Osaka was cheered on to a 6-3 6-4 win over Australia's Sharma.

Osaka was in complete command right from the moment she stepped onto the Hard Rock Stadium court, never allowing Sharma a single break opportunity while keeping her 96th-ranked opponent under constant pressure, converting two of 11 breakpoints.

After the match, Osaka soaked up the applause from the sparse crowd in what was a far different atmosphere from 11 days earlier in Indian Wells when she fought back tears after being heckled during a second-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova.

"This is like my home tournament," smiled Osaka during her on-court interview, prompting a round of cheers.

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"Honestly I just didn't want to let anything bother me today no matter what happened, like the last match I played was not the greatest memory for me."

"I just wanted to prove I could come back out here and compete and no matter if I won or lost just know I had the best attitude that I could."

A four-times Grand Slam champion, Japan's Osaka has seen her ranking fall to 77th coming into the tournament after she took a break from tennis following last year's U.S. Open to prioritise her mental health.

Osaka's mental health struggles first manifested themselves at the 2021 French Open when she withdrew from the Grand Slam after deciding to boycott post-match media duties, explaining she had been suffering from depression.

She has taken breaks from the sport on several occasions and said after her match on Wednesday that she was seeing a therapist.

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Osaka said the decision to finally seek out professional help came after her sister expressed concern for her.

"I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells," said Osaka, after setting up a second-round clash with another former world number one Angelique Kerber. "It only took like a year after the French Open.

"I feel like I've been trying a lot of different things because I tend to internalise things, and I also want to do everything by myself."

"The mind is such a big thing. If you can get a professional to help you out .5%, that alone is worth it."

Australian Nick Kyrgios sealed a comfortable victory over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, while former world number one Naomi Osaka defeated Astra Sharma.

Australian Nick Kyrgios sealed a comfortable victory over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, while former world number one Naomi Osaka defeated Astra Sharma. Wildcard Kyrgios fired down 12 aces and did not face a single breakpoint in his 7-6(3) 6-3 win. "It was a hell of a performance," Kyrgios said. "Getting on late, it wasn’t easy. So I'm really proud of myself with the way I responded. I felt good, I competed well today against a tough opponent." The Australian said he would be a "complete underdog" in his second-round match against Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev. ALSO READ: Exclusive! Ash Barty has always done things her own way: Shocked Ricky Ponting on tennis great's retirement "But I feel confident. If I'm serving well and play well from the back, I can beat anyone," he added. Earlier, Osaka was cheered on to a 6-3 6-4 win over Australia's Sharma. Osaka was in complete command right from the moment she stepped onto the Hard Rock Stadium court, never allowing Sharma a single break opportunity while keeping her 96th-ranked opponent under constant pressure, converting two of 11 breakpoints. After the match, Osaka soaked up the applause from the sparse crowd in what was a far different atmosphere from 11 days earlier in Indian Wells when she fought back tears after being heckled during a second-round loss to Veronika Kudermetova. "This is like my home tournament," smiled Osaka during her on-court interview, prompting a round of cheers. ALSO READ: 'A champion in every sense of the word': Tennis stars pay tribute to retiring World No 1 Ashleigh Barty "Honestly I just didn't want to let anything bother me today no matter what happened, like the last match I played was not the greatest memory for me." "I just wanted to prove I could come back out here and compete and no matter if I won or lost just know I had the best attitude that I could." A four-times Grand Slam champion, Japan's Osaka has seen her ranking fall to 77th coming into the tournament after she took a break from tennis following last year's U.S. Open to prioritise her mental health. Osaka's mental health struggles first manifested themselves at the 2021 French Open when she withdrew from the Grand Slam after deciding to boycott post-match media duties, explaining she had been suffering from depression. She has taken breaks from the sport on several occasions and said after her match on Wednesday that she was seeing a therapist. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal out of action for six weeks with stress fracture ahead of French Open 2022 Osaka said the decision to finally seek out professional help came after her sister expressed concern for her. "I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells," said Osaka, after setting up a second-round clash with another former world number one Angelique Kerber. "It only took like a year after the French Open. "I feel like I've been trying a lot of different things because I tend to internalise things, and I also want to do everything by myself." "The mind is such a big thing. If you can get a professional to help you out .5%, that alone is worth it."

Miami Open: Nick Kyrgios storms into second round, Naomi Osaka wins first match since heckling incident

Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal said he felt sorry for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells, but added that tennis players needed to be ready to deal with adversities.

Osaka, who sparked a conversation about mental health in sports last year with her withdrawal from the French Open, was thrown off her game and began to cry after a person screamed, "Naomi, you suck!" early on in her 6-0 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova.

After the match, Osaka spoke directly to the otherwise supportive crowd, saying the incident reminded her of the abuse Venus and Serena Williams received at the tournament in 2001, which led them to boycott the event for more than a decade.

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"In the real world, that happens, you know? I feel very sorry for her," Nadal said after his 7-5 6-3 win over Daniel Evans on Monday. "We are very lucky people that we're able to enjoy amazing experiences ... because we are tennis players.

"Even if is terrible to hear ... we need to be prepared for that, no? We need to resist these kind of issues that can happen when you are exposed to the people. Nothing is perfect in this life, no? We need to be ready for adversities."

"I understand that probably Naomi suffered a lot with these kind of issues that she has, mental (health) issues. The only thing that I wish her is recover well from that and wish her all the very best."

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Daniil Medvedev said he could understand Osaka's response to the heckling after he himself was booed and heckled by sections of the shamelessly pro-Nadal crowd during the Australian Open final in January.

"I felt not great in Australia," Medvedev said after his loss to Gael Monfils. "I can feel the fans that maybe say, what the hell? They're (players) getting millions. They should be ready for everything.

"At the same time we're humans. Sometimes we feel bad. Sometimes we feel good. I can understand that Naomi didn't feel that great when she heard it and I can completely understand her feelings."

Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal said he felt sorry for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells, but added that tennis players needed to be ready to deal with adversities.

Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal said he felt sorry for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells, but added that tennis players needed to be ready to deal with adversities. Osaka, who sparked a conversation about mental health in sports last year with her withdrawal from the French Open, was thrown off her game and began to cry after a person screamed, "Naomi, you suck!" early on in her 6-0 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova. After the match, Osaka spoke directly to the otherwise supportive crowd, saying the incident reminded her of the abuse Venus and Serena Williams received at the tournament in 2001, which led them to boycott the event for more than a decade. ALSO READ: Indian Wells: Daniil Medvedev loses World No. 1 spot after shock loss to Gael Monfils, Rafael Nadal wins "In the real world, that happens, you know? I feel very sorry for her," Nadal said after his 7-5 6-3 win over Daniel Evans on Monday. "We are very lucky people that we're able to enjoy amazing experiences ... because we are tennis players. "Even if is terrible to hear ... we need to be prepared for that, no? We need to resist these kind of issues that can happen when you are exposed to the people. Nothing is perfect in this life, no? We need to be ready for adversities." "I understand that probably Naomi suffered a lot with these kind of issues that she has, mental (health) issues. The only thing that I wish her is recover well from that and wish her all the very best." ALSO READ: Stefanos Tsitsipas 'not very frustrated' from early Indian Wells exit Daniil Medvedev said he could understand Osaka's response to the heckling after he himself was booed and heckled by sections of the shamelessly pro-Nadal crowd during the Australian Open final in January. "I felt not great in Australia," Medvedev said after his loss to Gael Monfils. "I can feel the fans that maybe say, what the hell? They're (players) getting millions. They should be ready for everything. "At the same time we're humans. Sometimes we feel bad. Sometimes we feel good. I can understand that Naomi didn't feel that great when she heard it and I can completely understand her feelings."

Players need to build resilience to deal with hecklers, says Nadal after Osaka's tearful Indian Wells exit

Andy Murray expressed sympathy for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells but said unruly fans were an unfortunate part of sports.

Osaka was thrown off her game and began to cry after a person screamed, "Naomi, you suck!" early on in her eventual 6-0 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova.

After the match, Osaka spoke directly to the otherwise supportive crowd, saying the incident reminded her of the abuse Venus and Serena Williams received at the tournament in 2001, which led them to boycott the event for more than a decade.

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"It's a difficult one," Murray told reporters after his second-round loss on Sunday.

"I've often thought watching certain sports, I wouldn't say I've often seen it loads in tennis ... but if I watch a football or a soccer match and a player's going to take throw-in or a corner kick and the crowd are just hurling insults at those individuals."

"I always think, how is that allowed? Like, you can't do that," he said, adding that such behaviour would be unacceptable in public or any other workplace setting.

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Murray said he had heard comments that were "not comfortable" when playing Davis Cup matches away from home in intense environments.

"Obviously I feel for Naomi, that it upset her a lot but yeah, it's always been something that`s been part of sport, I guess, as well," Murray said.

"So, you know, you have to, I guess, be prepared for that in some ways and be able to tolerate it because it does happen regularly across all sports."

Andy Murray expressed sympathy for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells but said unruly fans were an unfortunate part of sports.

Andy Murray expressed sympathy for Naomi Osaka after she was rattled by a heckler during her second-round loss on Saturday night at Indian Wells but said unruly fans were an unfortunate part of sports. Osaka was thrown off her game and began to cry after a person screamed, "Naomi, you suck!" early on in her eventual 6-0 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova. After the match, Osaka spoke directly to the otherwise supportive crowd, saying the incident reminded her of the abuse Venus and Serena Williams received at the tournament in 2001, which led them to boycott the event for more than a decade. ALSO READ: Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 9 runs to register their maiden win in ICC Women's World Cup history "It's a difficult one," Murray told reporters after his second-round loss on Sunday. "I've often thought watching certain sports, I wouldn't say I've often seen it loads in tennis ... but if I watch a football or a soccer match and a player's going to take throw-in or a corner kick and the crowd are just hurling insults at those individuals." "I always think, how is that allowed? Like, you can't do that," he said, adding that such behaviour would be unacceptable in public or any other workplace setting. ALSO READ: Shreyas Iyer becomes first Indian to achieve rare feat with twin half-centuries in pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka Murray said he had heard comments that were "not comfortable" when playing Davis Cup matches away from home in intense environments. "Obviously I feel for Naomi, that it upset her a lot but yeah, it's always been something that`s been part of sport, I guess, as well," Murray said. "So, you know, you have to, I guess, be prepared for that in some ways and be able to tolerate it because it does happen regularly across all sports."

Hecklers are an unfortunate part of sports: Andy Murray after Naomi Osaka reduced to tears at Indian Wells

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler Saturday on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova in the Indian Wells WTA hardcourt tournament.

Japan's Osaka, ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was rocked early in the first set when someone in the crowd yelled "Naomi, you suck."

She pleaded with the chair umpire to take action to no avail, and at 0-3 down in the second-round match, her emotions spilled over.

Osaka pulled herself together and resumed the match, but Kudermetova, the 21st seed, raced through the opening set before Osaka managed to hold serve to open the second.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-wells-world-no-1-daniil-medvedev-beat-machac-to-ease-into-r3-stefanos-tsitsipas-survives-sock-scare-461904">Indian Wells: World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev beats MacHac to ease into R3, Stefanos Tsitsipas survives scare</a>

Although she lifted her game, Osaka couldn't capitalize on any of her four break points in the contest, and a break of serve in the seventh game of the second set was enough for Kudermetova to capture the victory.

Osaka put athlete mental health in the spotlight in a difficult 2021 in which she revealed she had suffered depression.

But speaking on court after the match she said it wasn't that she found the comment so hurtful that she was upset, but because it reminded her of Venus and Serena Williams being heckled at Indian Wells in 2001.

"To be honest I feel like I've been heckled before it didn't really bother me," she said.

"But, like, I've watched a video of Venus and Serena being heckled here."

"If you've never watched it you should watch it," she added, tearing up again.

"I don't know why, but it went into my head and it got replayed a lot.

"I'm trying not to cry," she said, her voice breaking.

"I just have to say thank you and congratulations," she added with a nod to Kudermetova. "Thank you."

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“I just wanted to say ‘Thank You.” 
 
“I’ve gotten heckled before but heckled here, I watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here. If you haven’t watched it, you should watch it.” 
 
A tearful Naomi Osaka after a fool fan heckled her vs Veronika Kudermetova <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BNPPO22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BNPPO22</a> <a href="https://t.co/NkM7MoRwD4">pic.twitter.com/NkM7MoRwD4</a>
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The superstar Williams sisters boycotted Indian Wells for 14 years over the events of 2001.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-wells-rafael-nadal-stages-spectacular-comeback-to-beat-usas-sebastian-korda-461850">Indian Wells: Rafael&nbsp;Nadal stages spectacular comeback to beat USA's Sebastian Korda</a>

Venus had pulled out of a semi-final match against her sister with a knee injury.

The next day Serena faced Kim Clijsters in the final, and when Venus and their father Richard Williams took their seats the crowd jeered them, going on to boo Serena throughout the match.

The jeering continued after Serena won and went to embrace Venus and Richard Williams courtside, with Richard saying he was the target of racial slurs.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler Saturday on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova in the Indian Wells WTA hardcourt tournament.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler Saturday on the way to a 6-0, 6-4 loss to Veronika Kudermetova in the Indian Wells WTA hardcourt tournament. Japan's Osaka, ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was rocked early in the first set when someone in the crowd yelled "Naomi, you suck." She pleaded with the chair umpire to take action to no avail, and at 0-3 down in the second-round match, her emotions spilled over. Osaka pulled herself together and resumed the match, but Kudermetova, the 21st seed, raced through the opening set before Osaka managed to hold serve to open the second. ALSO READ: Indian Wells: World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev beats MacHac to ease into R3, Stefanos Tsitsipas survives scare Although she lifted her game, Osaka couldn't capitalize on any of her four break points in the contest, and a break of serve in the seventh game of the second set was enough for Kudermetova to capture the victory. Osaka put athlete mental health in the spotlight in a difficult 2021 in which she revealed she had suffered depression. But speaking on court after the match she said it wasn't that she found the comment so hurtful that she was upset, but because it reminded her of Venus and Serena Williams being heckled at Indian Wells in 2001. "To be honest I feel like I've been heckled before it didn't really bother me," she said. "But, like, I've watched a video of Venus and Serena being heckled here." "If you've never watched it you should watch it," she added, tearing up again. "I don't know why, but it went into my head and it got replayed a lot. "I'm trying not to cry," she said, her voice breaking. "I just have to say thank you and congratulations," she added with a nod to Kudermetova. "Thank you." “I just wanted to say ‘Thank You.” “I’ve gotten heckled before but heckled here, I watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here. If you haven’t watched it, you should watch it.” A tearful Naomi Osaka after a fool fan heckled her vs Veronika Kudermetova #BNPPO22 pic.twitter.com/NkM7MoRwD4 — Andrew Jones (@TWDTV1) March 13, 2022 × The superstar Williams sisters boycotted Indian Wells for 14 years over the events of 2001. ALSO READ: Indian Wells: Rafael Nadal stages spectacular comeback to beat USA's Sebastian Korda Venus had pulled out of a semi-final match against her sister with a knee injury. The next day Serena faced Kim Clijsters in the final, and when Venus and their father Richard Williams took their seats the crowd jeered them, going on to boo Serena throughout the match. The jeering continued after Serena won and went to embrace Venus and Richard Williams courtside, with Richard saying he was the target of racial slurs.

Naomi Osaka brought to tears by heckler at Indian Wells as she exits tournament after loss

American Amanda Anisimova, ranked 60th in the world, saved two matchpoints and smashed winners at will to beat reigning champion Naomi Osaka 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-5) in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday.

Anisimova produced a superb display to knock out the Japanese and disappoint those who had been salivating at the prospect of a fourth-round showdown between the four-times major winner and Australian world number one Ash Barty.

It was the first meeting between the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka and Anisimova, who will next meet Australian world number one Ash Barty for a place in the quarter-finals of the year`s opening major at Melbourne Park.

Osaka, who has won all her major titles on hardcourts, had two opportunities to close out the match in the 10th game of the deciding set.

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But she watched helplessly as the 20-year-old Anisimova, who has seen her ranking plummet due to injury issues, saved both and then converted her first opportunity in the deciding super tiebreak with an ace to seal the match.

The American dropped her racquet and hid her face with her palms as the crowd at the Margaret Court Arena exploded in appreciation.

Anisimova, who reached a career-high ranking of 21 in 2019, threaded 46 winners in the match, while Osaka could manage only 21. 
"Going into this match I knew I had to be playing sharp if I wanted to give myself a chance," the American said on court.

"Naomi is always going to be playing well, she`s an absolute champion, so I knew that I really had to step up my game and try to be aggressive.

"I think that`s what I started doing in the second set. Honestly I`m so grateful that I was able to play so well today and get this win, it means a lot."

American Amanda Anisimova, ranked 60th in the world, saved two matchpoints and smashed winners at will to beat reigning champion Naomi Osaka 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-5) in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday.

American Amanda Anisimova, ranked 60th in the world, saved two matchpoints and smashed winners at will to beat reigning champion Naomi Osaka 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-5) in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday. Anisimova produced a superb display to knock out the Japanese and disappoint those who had been salivating at the prospect of a fourth-round showdown between the four-times major winner and Australian world number one Ash Barty. It was the first meeting between the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka and Anisimova, who will next meet Australian world number one Ash Barty for a place in the quarter-finals of the year`s opening major at Melbourne Park. Osaka, who has won all her major titles on hardcourts, had two opportunities to close out the match in the 10th game of the deciding set. Read Also | Australian Open: Matteo Berrettini edges past Carlos Alcaraz in five-set thriller But she watched helplessly as the 20-year-old Anisimova, who has seen her ranking plummet due to injury issues, saved both and then converted her first opportunity in the deciding super tiebreak with an ace to seal the match. The American dropped her racquet and hid her face with her palms as the crowd at the Margaret Court Arena exploded in appreciation. Anisimova, who reached a career-high ranking of 21 in 2019, threaded 46 winners in the match, while Osaka could manage only 21. "Going into this match I knew I had to be playing sharp if I wanted to give myself a chance," the American said on court. "Naomi is always going to be playing well, she`s an absolute champion, so I knew that I really had to step up my game and try to be aggressive. "I think that`s what I started doing in the second set. Honestly I`m so grateful that I was able to play so well today and get this win, it means a lot."

Naomi Osaka suffers defeat to Amanda Anisimova, bows out of Australian Open

Defending champion Naomi Osaka was pleased that she found a way out of a second-set blip to beat American Madison Brengle 6-0 6-4 and reach the Australian Open third round, staying on course for a potential fourth-round clash with top-ranked Ash Barty.

The Japanese 24-year-old, who also won the Melbourne Park title in 2019, will next meet 60th-ranked American Amanda Anisimova with a mouthwatering clash against Australian Barty potentially waiting in the round of 16.

Barty was equally ruthless in her 6-1 6-1 second-round win over qualifier Lucia Bronzetti earlier on the Rod Laver Arena and will next take on Italian Camila Giorgi.

Brengle won just nine points in the first set as an aggressive Osaka served superbly, facing no breakpoints, and returned strong to breeze through the set in just 20 minutes. Osaka hit 13 winners to zero managed by Brengle in the set.

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Her dominant performance drew praise from Andy Murray, with the former world number one quipping on Twitter: "Anyone hit the ball cleaner from the baseline than @naomiosaka?"

"It`s a little bit shocking, because when you`re playing, you never really think the TV is broadcasting it and other people are watching," said Osaka.

"So, yeah, definitely really surreal. It was really cool just to have someone like him talking about my game." 
Osaka said she was watching quite a few matches on television herself, including the ones of Australian Nick Kyrgios and Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.

The 54th-ranked Brengle, 31, was also mostly a spectator as she helplessly watched Osaka dominate from the baseline. 
The American had a big smile and raised both her arms in mock celebration as the crowd cheered her first service game win at the start of the second set with Osaka`s game suffering a sudden dip.

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The unforced errors -- just nine in the opening set -- kept climbing as Osaka shrieked in frustration trying to get her game back on track. Brengle soon broke Osaka`s seemingly impregnable serve to go up 4-3.

But the service break seemed to wake Osaka up as the two-time U.S. Open winner regained control and won a flurry of points to seal the victory after 65 minutes with a second break of serve in the set.

"These are the type of matches that I need to play in Grand Slams, to get broken and to figure out a way to fight back in really crucial times," said Osaka, adding that she was "really disappointed" when she suffered the break of serve.

"I kind of rushed a lot in that specific service game, and you could kind of tell I was a bit shaky. I made a double fault where I really shouldn`t have.

"But I tried to shake that off in the return game right after, and I think I did pretty well there."

Defending champion Naomi Osaka was pleased that she found a way out of a second-set blip to beat American Madison Brengle 6-0 6-4 and reach the Australian Open third round, staying on course for a potential fourth-round clash with top-ranked Ash Barty.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka was pleased that she found a way out of a second-set blip to beat American Madison Brengle 6-0 6-4 and reach the Australian Open third round, staying on course for a potential fourth-round clash with top-ranked Ash Barty. The Japanese 24-year-old, who also won the Melbourne Park title in 2019, will next meet 60th-ranked American Amanda Anisimova with a mouthwatering clash against Australian Barty potentially waiting in the round of 16. Barty was equally ruthless in her 6-1 6-1 second-round win over qualifier Lucia Bronzetti earlier on the Rod Laver Arena and will next take on Italian Camila Giorgi. Brengle won just nine points in the first set as an aggressive Osaka served superbly, facing no breakpoints, and returned strong to breeze through the set in just 20 minutes. Osaka hit 13 winners to zero managed by Brengle in the set. Read Also | Aus Open 2022: Matrettini Berrettini and Alcaraz set up mouth-watering clash in 3rd round Her dominant performance drew praise from Andy Murray, with the former world number one quipping on Twitter: "Anyone hit the ball cleaner from the baseline than @naomiosaka?" "It`s a little bit shocking, because when you`re playing, you never really think the TV is broadcasting it and other people are watching," said Osaka. "So, yeah, definitely really surreal. It was really cool just to have someone like him talking about my game." Osaka said she was watching quite a few matches on television herself, including the ones of Australian Nick Kyrgios and Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz. The 54th-ranked Brengle, 31, was also mostly a spectator as she helplessly watched Osaka dominate from the baseline. The American had a big smile and raised both her arms in mock celebration as the crowd cheered her first service game win at the start of the second set with Osaka`s game suffering a sudden dip. Read Also | Sania Mirza to hang up her boots after 2022 season end, feels 'body is wearing down, energy isn't same' The unforced errors -- just nine in the opening set -- kept climbing as Osaka shrieked in frustration trying to get her game back on track. Brengle soon broke Osaka`s seemingly impregnable serve to go up 4-3. But the service break seemed to wake Osaka up as the two-time U.S. Open winner regained control and won a flurry of points to seal the victory after 65 minutes with a second break of serve in the set. "These are the type of matches that I need to play in Grand Slams, to get broken and to figure out a way to fight back in really crucial times," said Osaka, adding that she was "really disappointed" when she suffered the break of serve. "I kind of rushed a lot in that specific service game, and you could kind of tell I was a bit shaky. I made a double fault where I really shouldn`t have. "But I tried to shake that off in the return game right after, and I think I did pretty well there."

Aus Open 2022: Naomi Osaka keeps title defence on track ahead of potential Ash Barty showdown

Ash Barty is in prime position to end Australia`s lengthy wait for a home winner at this year`s Australian Open but defending champion Naomi Osaka and a host of others will be out to spoil the party for the women`s world number one.

No Australian has won the Melbourne Park major since Chris O`Neill in 1978 and the 25-year-old Queenslander will be desperate to add the hardcourt title to her French Open win on clay and Wimbledon success on grass.

Barty, the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong-Cawley to reach the world number one ranking, is pleased with her preparation after winning last week`s Adelaide International -- the 14th WTA title of her career.

"I feel good leading up to an Australian Open like I have every year," Barty said after her Adelaide triumph.

"The work that I do with my team behind the scenes puts me in the best possible position to play good tennis time and time again each and every time we`re asked."

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Barty, who will open her campaign against Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko, is bookmakers` favourite to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the end of the month.

"I think she`s got a huge chance to win here," ESPN analyst and former world number three Pam Shriver said. "I think there`s a pretty good chance she`s playing the best tennis and I love the way she`s serving." The field, however, is stacked with major champions.

Other than Osaka, who won all her four majors on hardcourts, the women`s field at the Australian Open also features several other Grand Slam winners including the latest, U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu. Japan`s former world number one Osaka has won two of her Slams at Melbourne Park and she is a potential fourth-round opponent for Barty.

While Barty has found the calmness and mental steel to handle the burden of expectation, Osaka has struggled with mental health issues, disclosing last year that she has long suffered from bouts of depression.

ABDOMINAL INJURY

The 24-year-old Osaka appeared in good form in a tune-up WTA event in Melbourne last week before pulling out of her semi-final with an abdominal injury.

"She obviously prefers hard courts tenfold," said Brad Gilbert, a former world number four and coach to Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick among others.

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"The stomach issue for a tennis player can be of big concern because there`s not one shot, potentially if she has tweaked it, that you can fudge around having an abdominal injury."

This year`s Australian Open will be the first since 1997 that will not feature either of the Williams sisters. 
Serena is still recovering from a hamstring injury, while older sister Venus also pulled out.

Former world number one Karolina Pliskova, 2019 U.S. Open winner Bianca Andreescu and last year`s finalist Jennifer Brady have also pulled out with injuries.

While the withdrawals will take some sheen off the year`s opening major, a depth of talent remains in the women`s competition. Belinda Bencic will want to add Grand Slam success to her Olympic gold from Tokyo while twice major winner Garbine Muguruza of Spain will hope to continue her strong form from the end of the season when she triumphed in the WTA Finals in Mexico.

Few will also doubt the talent of 19-year-old Briton Raducanu but she has looked out of sorts since becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows last September.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka is known for her power-packed game but has failed to find her mark in her Australian Open preparations - falling in her first match in both events in the lead-up.

Ash Barty is in prime position to end Australia`s lengthy wait for a home winner at this year`s Australian Open but defending champion Naomi Osaka and a host of others will be out to spoil the party for the women`s world number one.

Ash Barty is in prime position to end Australia`s lengthy wait for a home winner at this year`s Australian Open but defending champion Naomi Osaka and a host of others will be out to spoil the party for the women`s world number one. No Australian has won the Melbourne Park major since Chris O`Neill in 1978 and the 25-year-old Queenslander will be desperate to add the hardcourt title to her French Open win on clay and Wimbledon success on grass. Barty, the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong-Cawley to reach the world number one ranking, is pleased with her preparation after winning last week`s Adelaide International -- the 14th WTA title of her career. "I feel good leading up to an Australian Open like I have every year," Barty said after her Adelaide triumph. "The work that I do with my team behind the scenes puts me in the best possible position to play good tennis time and time again each and every time we`re asked." Read Also | Not kicking him whilst he's down, says Andy Murray on Novak Djokovic's Australian Open saga Barty, who will open her campaign against Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko, is bookmakers` favourite to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the end of the month. "I think she`s got a huge chance to win here," ESPN analyst and former world number three Pam Shriver said. "I think there`s a pretty good chance she`s playing the best tennis and I love the way she`s serving." The field, however, is stacked with major champions. Other than Osaka, who won all her four majors on hardcourts, the women`s field at the Australian Open also features several other Grand Slam winners including the latest, U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu. Japan`s former world number one Osaka has won two of her Slams at Melbourne Park and she is a potential fourth-round opponent for Barty. While Barty has found the calmness and mental steel to handle the burden of expectation, Osaka has struggled with mental health issues, disclosing last year that she has long suffered from bouts of depression. ABDOMINAL INJURY The 24-year-old Osaka appeared in good form in a tune-up WTA event in Melbourne last week before pulling out of her semi-final with an abdominal injury. "She obviously prefers hard courts tenfold," said Brad Gilbert, a former world number four and coach to Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick among others. Read Also | Novak Djokovic won't be deported from Australia on Friday, says Immigration Minister Alex Hawke "The stomach issue for a tennis player can be of big concern because there`s not one shot, potentially if she has tweaked it, that you can fudge around having an abdominal injury." This year`s Australian Open will be the first since 1997 that will not feature either of the Williams sisters. Serena is still recovering from a hamstring injury, while older sister Venus also pulled out. Former world number one Karolina Pliskova, 2019 U.S. Open winner Bianca Andreescu and last year`s finalist Jennifer Brady have also pulled out with injuries. While the withdrawals will take some sheen off the year`s opening major, a depth of talent remains in the women`s competition. Belinda Bencic will want to add Grand Slam success to her Olympic gold from Tokyo while twice major winner Garbine Muguruza of Spain will hope to continue her strong form from the end of the season when she triumphed in the WTA Finals in Mexico. Few will also doubt the talent of 19-year-old Briton Raducanu but she has looked out of sorts since becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed at Flushing Meadows last September. World number two Aryna Sabalenka is known for her power-packed game but has failed to find her mark in her Australian Open preparations - falling in her first match in both events in the lead-up.

Australian Open: Naomi Osaka and a host of others look to disrupt Ashleigh Barty's home party

Top-seeded Naomi Osaka pulled out of her Melbourne Summer Set 1 WTA event semi-final against Veronika Kudermetova on Saturday, citing the intensity of recent games as cause for her withdrawal.

"Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break I took," Osaka said&nbsp;on Twitter. "I`ll try to rest up and I`ll see you soon!"

Four-times Grand Slam champion Osaka beat German Andrea Petkovic 6-1 7-5 in the quarter-final on Friday, less than two weeks out from the start of the Australian Open.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/novak-djokovics-lawyers-reveal-he-had-covid-19-a-month-ago-had-recieved-clearance-to-enter-australia-443121">Novak Djokovic's lawyers reveal he had COVID-19 a month ago, had received clearance to enter Australia</a>

The Japanese former world number one has struggled for form since withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her.

Osaka also pulled out of a warm-up event in the build-up to last year`s Australian Open with "a niggling injury". 
The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17.

Top-seeded Naomi Osaka pulled out of her Melbourne Summer Set 1 WTA event semi-final against Veronika Kudermetova on Saturday, citing the intensity of recent games as cause for her withdrawal.

Top-seeded Naomi Osaka pulled out of her Melbourne Summer Set 1 WTA event semi-final against Veronika Kudermetova on Saturday, citing the intensity of recent games as cause for her withdrawal. "Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break I took," Osaka said on Twitter. "I`ll try to rest up and I`ll see you soon!" Four-times Grand Slam champion Osaka beat German Andrea Petkovic 6-1 7-5 in the quarter-final on Friday, less than two weeks out from the start of the Australian Open. Read Also | Novak Djokovic's lawyers reveal he had COVID-19 a month ago, had received clearance to enter Australia The Japanese former world number one has struggled for form since withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her. Osaka also pulled out of a warm-up event in the build-up to last year`s Australian Open with "a niggling injury". The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17.

Naomi Osaka pulls out of Melbourne WTA event semi-final after sustaining major injuries

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said rediscovering her love for tennis and not focusing on results and rankings were among her top goals for 2022, following her return to action in Melbourne on Tuesday after a four-month break. The Japanese former world number one struggled for form last year since withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her.

After losing to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the U.S. Open in September, Osaka took a break from the sport to focus on her mental health. The 24-year-old looked rusty in her 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet on Tuesday but said she was happy with the way she handled herself.

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"I only really have one major goal this year, and it`s completely unrelated to results and stuff like that. I just want to feel like every time I step on the court... I`m having fun," Osaka told reporters. "I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could. Also I have a goal in the press room, that I`m never going to cry again, so hopefully that works out in my favour.

"I`m the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking. I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again, because that`s the reason why I was playing in the first place." Osaka said talking to her family and friends helped her make a comeback.

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"I felt like that was a way of decompressing the pressure I had on myself. Then I just slowly started to regain the feeling of love that I had towards the game," Osaka said. "It`s not like it completely went away but I felt it got overshadowed by a lot of emotions that I was feeling just by constantly playing year after year since I was - I started tennis when I was three and I never really took a break."

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said rediscovering her love for tennis and not focusing on results and rankings were among her top goals for 2022, following her return to action in Melbourne on Tuesday after a four-month break.

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said rediscovering her love for tennis and not focusing on results and rankings were among her top goals for 2022, following her return to action in Melbourne on Tuesday after a four-month break. The Japanese former world number one struggled for form last year since withdrawing from the French Open in May following a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her. After losing to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the U.S. Open in September, Osaka took a break from the sport to focus on her mental health. The 24-year-old looked rusty in her 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet on Tuesday but said she was happy with the way she handled herself. ALSO READ | Australian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic needs to prove exemption or go home, says Aussie PM "I only really have one major goal this year, and it`s completely unrelated to results and stuff like that. I just want to feel like every time I step on the court... I`m having fun," Osaka told reporters. "I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could. Also I have a goal in the press room, that I`m never going to cry again, so hopefully that works out in my favour. "I`m the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking. I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again, because that`s the reason why I was playing in the first place." Osaka said talking to her family and friends helped her make a comeback. ALSO READ | 'Shame!! shame, shame': Australia reacts to Novak Djokovic's Australian Open vaccine exemption "I felt like that was a way of decompressing the pressure I had on myself. Then I just slowly started to regain the feeling of love that I had towards the game," Osaka said. "It`s not like it completely went away but I felt it got overshadowed by a lot of emotions that I was feeling just by constantly playing year after year since I was - I started tennis when I was three and I never really took a break."

Want to feel like every time I step on court I'm having fun, says Osaka on return post 4-month break

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was rusty on her return to action for the first time in four months on Tuesday but still advanced to the second round of the Melbourne Summer Set tournament with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 win over Alize Cornet. Osaka, who last played competitively when she lost to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the U.S. Open in September, displayed plenty of her trademark power but often lacked accuracy at the Australian Open warm-up event.

The Japanese player struggled with her first serve while committing 57 unforced errors, including eight double faults, as she eventually saw off the former world number 11. "I feel like I probably made a lot of unforced errors today but I kind of expected that because it is the first match," said Osaka. "I was really nervous so I`m just glad that I was able to hold my serve on the last game."

The match was the first since Osaka announced she was taking an indefinite break from tennis following her loss to Fernandez at Flushing Meadows. That decision brought an end to a season that had also seen her withdraw from the French Open citing mental health issues and miss Wimbledon during a mid-season hiatus.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-nick-kyrgios-opts-out-of-warm-up-event-due-to-asthma-442132">Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios opts out of warm-up event due to asthma</a>

Playing on the same Rod Laver Arena court where she has won two Australian Open titles, the former world number one looked relaxed in the opening set in front of a small crowd. "I really love playing here," said Osaka. "I love New York, but this might be my favourite Slam so it feels really good to always be back here. It feels really nice to play in front of people."

The 24-year-old squandered three break points in the fifth game but made amends two games later to take the opener. After an early break in the second set, Osaka looked to be heading for a comfortable win but the loss of four consecutive games saw Cornet pull level. Osaka, who is ranked number 13 in the world, regained her poise early in the third set, winning the first three games before closing out the match.

In the men`s ATP 250 event at the same venue, former world number one Andy Murray suffered a setback in his preparation for the Australian Open as Argentine Facundo Bagnis overcame the Briton 6-3 5-7 6-3 in the round of 32. "To beat him is amazing, I`m really happy. I enjoyed every point in the match," world number 76 Bagnis said. 
Five-times Australian Open finalist Murray, down at 134th in the world rankings after layoffs due to hip surgery, has accepted a wild card to the main draw of the year`s first major, which begins on Jan. 17.

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was rusty on her return to action for the first time in four months on Tuesday but still advanced to the second round of the Melbourne Summer Set tournament with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 win over Alize Cornet.

Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was rusty on her return to action for the first time in four months on Tuesday but still advanced to the second round of the Melbourne Summer Set tournament with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 win over Alize Cornet. Osaka, who last played competitively when she lost to Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the U.S. Open in September, displayed plenty of her trademark power but often lacked accuracy at the Australian Open warm-up event. The Japanese player struggled with her first serve while committing 57 unforced errors, including eight double faults, as she eventually saw off the former world number 11. "I feel like I probably made a lot of unforced errors today but I kind of expected that because it is the first match," said Osaka. "I was really nervous so I`m just glad that I was able to hold my serve on the last game." The match was the first since Osaka announced she was taking an indefinite break from tennis following her loss to Fernandez at Flushing Meadows. That decision brought an end to a season that had also seen her withdraw from the French Open citing mental health issues and miss Wimbledon during a mid-season hiatus. ALSO READ | Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios opts out of warm-up event due to asthma Playing on the same Rod Laver Arena court where she has won two Australian Open titles, the former world number one looked relaxed in the opening set in front of a small crowd. "I really love playing here," said Osaka. "I love New York, but this might be my favourite Slam so it feels really good to always be back here. It feels really nice to play in front of people." The 24-year-old squandered three break points in the fifth game but made amends two games later to take the opener. After an early break in the second set, Osaka looked to be heading for a comfortable win but the loss of four consecutive games saw Cornet pull level. Osaka, who is ranked number 13 in the world, regained her poise early in the third set, winning the first three games before closing out the match. In the men`s ATP 250 event at the same venue, former world number one Andy Murray suffered a setback in his preparation for the Australian Open as Argentine Facundo Bagnis overcame the Briton 6-3 5-7 6-3 in the round of 32. "To beat him is amazing, I`m really happy. I enjoyed every point in the match," world number 76 Bagnis said. Five-times Australian Open finalist Murray, down at 134th in the world rankings after layoffs due to hip surgery, has accepted a wild card to the main draw of the year`s first major, which begins on Jan. 17.

Naomi Osaka advances to second round of Melbourne Summer Set tournament with tight win over Alize Cornet

Ashleigh Barty will return to action for the first time in four months at Adelaide in January while Naomi&nbsp;Osaka&nbsp;and Rafael Nadal kickstart their Australian Open build-up in Melbourne, officials said Friday.

Barty hasn't played since a shock third-round loss at the US Open in September, but the Australian still finished 2021 as world number one after a season in which she won five titles.

The reigning Wimbledon champion headlines an Adelaide International field that boasts nine of the world's top 10 women, including Iga Swiatek, who will be defending her title.

Former world number ones Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova and Victoria Azarenka are also entered for the January 2-9 event, along with world number two Aryna Sabalenka.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/peng-shuai-row-no-world-tennis-tour-events-in-china-in-2022-confirms-itf-source-435708">Peng Shuai row? No World Tennis Tour events in China in 2022, confirms ITF source</a>

The only top 10 player missing in Adelaide will be seventh-ranked Estonian Anett Kontaveit.

Defending Australian Open champion&nbsp;Osaka, who has slipped to 13 in the world, will play at the Melbourne Summer Set event from January 3-9, which features simultaneous women's and men's tournaments.

She will be joined by US Open champion Emma Raducanu, whose form has slumped since her shock win at Flushing Meadows.

Others on the Melbourne bill include Simona Halep, Elise Mertens and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the top-ranked player at 11.

US great Serena Williams, who is marooned on 23 Grand Slam titles -- one short of the all-time record held by Margaret Court -- has pulled out of the Australian summer, saying she was not "where I need to be physically".

Most of the leading men are scheduled to start 2022 at the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1, including nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/peng-shuai-row-china-hits-back-at-wta-for-politicising-sport-after-it-suspends-all-tournaments-in-country-433494">Peng Shuai row: China hits back at WTA for 'politicising sport' after it suspends all tournaments in country</a>

But Spanish superstar Nadal opted to skip it and will instead have a lower-key preparation in Melbourne at a tournament also featuring former world number three Grigor Dimitrov.

Nadal, competing with Djokovic to be the first man to reach 21 Grand Slam titles, has hardly played since losing in the semi-finals of the French Open.

He plans to make his tennis return at an Abu Dhabi exhibition later this month before travelling to Australia, where all players are expected to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

Ashleigh Barty will return to action for the first time in four months at Adelaide in January while Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal kickstart their Australian Open build-up in Melbourne, officials said Friday.

Ashleigh Barty will return to action for the first time in four months at Adelaide in January while Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal kickstart their Australian Open build-up in Melbourne, officials said Friday. Barty hasn't played since a shock third-round loss at the US Open in September, but the Australian still finished 2021 as world number one after a season in which she won five titles. The reigning Wimbledon champion headlines an Adelaide International field that boasts nine of the world's top 10 women, including Iga Swiatek, who will be defending her title. Former world number ones Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova and Victoria Azarenka are also entered for the January 2-9 event, along with world number two Aryna Sabalenka. ALSO READ: Peng Shuai row? No World Tennis Tour events in China in 2022, confirms ITF source The only top 10 player missing in Adelaide will be seventh-ranked Estonian Anett Kontaveit. Defending Australian Open champion Osaka, who has slipped to 13 in the world, will play at the Melbourne Summer Set event from January 3-9, which features simultaneous women's and men's tournaments. She will be joined by US Open champion Emma Raducanu, whose form has slumped since her shock win at Flushing Meadows. Others on the Melbourne bill include Simona Halep, Elise Mertens and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the top-ranked player at 11. US great Serena Williams, who is marooned on 23 Grand Slam titles -- one short of the all-time record held by Margaret Court -- has pulled out of the Australian summer, saying she was not "where I need to be physically". Most of the leading men are scheduled to start 2022 at the ATP Cup in Sydney from January 1, including nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. ALSO READ | Peng Shuai row: China hits back at WTA for 'politicising sport' after it suspends all tournaments in country But Spanish superstar Nadal opted to skip it and will instead have a lower-key preparation in Melbourne at a tournament also featuring former world number three Grigor Dimitrov. Nadal, competing with Djokovic to be the first man to reach 21 Grand Slam titles, has hardly played since losing in the semi-finals of the French Open. He plans to make his tennis return at an Abu Dhabi exhibition later this month before travelling to Australia, where all players are expected to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

World no. 1 Ashleigh Barty to return to action in Adelaide, Nadal and Osaka in Melbourne ATP event

Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email.&nbsp;

One of China's biggest sports stars went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly. Even&nbsp;her post was&nbsp;deleted about half an hour later.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-in-shock-naomi-osaka-concerned-over-missing-chinese-tennis-player-peng-shuais-whereabouts-430046">'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts</a>

In the aftermath, a letter has been posted on the Twitter handle of the Chinese state-affiliated media outlet CGTN, saying it was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman Steve Simon.&nbsp;

A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent"

"The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added.&nbsp;

Read the letter here:

<img alt="Peng Shuai" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8eb1572-4899-4e92-b876-a5d2719f0cdb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FEaa8FzXMAIhUM0_0.png" />

Image: CGTN tweets an email allegedly sent by Peng Shuai to Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO Steve Simon in this screengrab obtained via social media on November 18, 2021.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-fighting-for-it-roger-federer-out-of-australian-open-participation-in-wimbledon-remains-doubtful-430030">'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful</a>

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Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman &amp; CEO: 
 
The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source.
— wta (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1461062506512846849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In reply to the letter, Simon said, "The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her."&nbsp;

Recently, Japanese star Naomi Osaka voiced concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. The four-time Grand Slam winner took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Not just Osaka, Novak Djokovic and several other players have also spoken in the recent days saying they were deeply worried.&nbsp;

Previously, WTA had also&nbsp;called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".&nbsp;

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email.

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email. One of China's biggest sports stars went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly. Even her post was deleted about half an hour later. ALSO READ | 'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts In the aftermath, a letter has been posted on the Twitter handle of the Chinese state-affiliated media outlet CGTN, saying it was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman Steve Simon. A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent" "The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added. Read the letter here: Image: CGTN tweets an email allegedly sent by Peng Shuai to Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO Steve Simon in this screengrab obtained via social media on November 18, 2021. ALSO READ | 'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman & CEO: The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. — wta (@WTA) November 17, 2021 × In reply to the letter, Simon said, "The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her." Recently, Japanese star Naomi Osaka voiced concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. The four-time Grand Slam winner took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Not just Osaka, Novak Djokovic and several other players have also spoken in the recent days saying they were deeply worried. Previously, WTA had also called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".

A letter from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claiming she is 'fine' and 'resting at home' raises concerns

'Where is Peng Shuai?'

Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her.&nbsp;

Shuai had claimed in a social media post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly, leading to growing suspicion and global outrage.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-fighting-for-it-roger-federer-out-of-australian-open-participation-in-wimbledon-remains-doubtful-430030">'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful</a>

As the world continues to wait and watch to get some&nbsp;information, the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Osaka's&nbsp;questions have been added to growing concerns within the tennis fraternity about Peng's fate, with Novak Djokovic and several other players also spoken in the same context in recent days saying they were deeply worried.

Osaka wrote, "I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused. Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I'm in shock of the current situation and I'm sending love and light her way."

In a recent development, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chinese-star-peng-shuais-safety-comes-ahead-of-business-assures-former-wta-ceo-stacey-allaster-429731">Chinese star Peng Shuai's safety comes ahead of business, assures former WTA CEO Stacey Allaster</a>

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. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIsPengShuai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIsPengShuai</a> <a href="https://t.co/51qcyDtzLq">pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq</a>
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1460723353174433793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO, in a statement said, "Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness."

"We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship. Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," Simon added.&nbsp;

'Where is Peng Shuai?' Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her.

'Where is Peng Shuai?' Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly, leading to growing suspicion and global outrage. ALSO READ | 'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful As the world continues to wait and watch to get some information, the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Osaka's questions have been added to growing concerns within the tennis fraternity about Peng's fate, with Novak Djokovic and several other players also spoken in the same context in recent days saying they were deeply worried. Osaka wrote, "I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused. Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I'm in shock of the current situation and I'm sending love and light her way." In a recent development, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship". ALSO READ | Chinese star Peng Shuai's safety comes ahead of business, assures former WTA CEO Stacey Allaster . #WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) November 16, 2021 × Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO, in a statement said, "Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness." "We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship. Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," Simon added.

'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will not play at the Indian Wells tournament after testing positive for COVID-19, the 23-year-old said.

Sabalenka, who lost to Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the U.S. Open semifinal last month, was the top seed in the women's draw at the Indian Wells after world number one Ash Barty pulled out&nbsp;from the WTA 1000 event near Los Angeles.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-boxing-in-rio-olympics-2016-rigged-independent-probe-reveals-shocking-details-of-bout-manipulation-417377">Was boxing in Rio Olympics 2016 rigged? Independent probe reveals shocking details of 'bout manipulation'</a>

"Unfortunately I've tested positive at Indian Wells and won't be able to compete," Belarusian Sabalenka wrote on her Instagram story on Saturday.

"I've started my isolation and I'll be staying here until I'm cleared by the doctors and health officials. So far I'm looking ok but really sad to not be able to play this year."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-rules-out-overseas-fans-over-virus-threat-417177">Beijing Olympics rules out overseas fans over virus threat</a>

Sabalenka's absence is another blow to the Oct. 4-17 event, with men's world number one Novak Djokovic, 2018 champion Naomi Osaka and 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams also not competing.

Sabalenka has already qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals, contested by the world`s top eight singles players and eight doubles teams, which will be held next month in Guadalajara, Mexico.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will not play at the Indian Wells tournament after testing positive for COVID-19, the 23-year-old said. Sabalenka, who lost to Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the U.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will not play at the Indian Wells tournament after testing positive for COVID-19, the 23-year-old said. Sabalenka, who lost to Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the U.S. Open semifinal last month, was the top seed in the women's draw at the Indian Wells after world number one Ash Barty pulled out from the WTA 1000 event near Los Angeles. Also read: Was boxing in Rio Olympics 2016 rigged? Independent probe reveals shocking details of 'bout manipulation' "Unfortunately I've tested positive at Indian Wells and won't be able to compete," Belarusian Sabalenka wrote on her Instagram story on Saturday. "I've started my isolation and I'll be staying here until I'm cleared by the doctors and health officials. So far I'm looking ok but really sad to not be able to play this year." Also read: Beijing Olympics rules out overseas fans over virus threat Sabalenka's absence is another blow to the Oct. 4-17 event, with men's world number one Novak Djokovic, 2018 champion Naomi Osaka and 23-times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams also not competing. Sabalenka has already qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals, contested by the world`s top eight singles players and eight doubles teams, which will be held next month in Guadalajara, Mexico.

World no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka tests positive for COVID-19, ruled out of Indian Wells

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