|
Naomi Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion, has withdrawn from this year's tournament.
Veteran Venus Williams also withdrew her name from the first Grand Slam of the year after suffering an injury at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, hasn't participated in a competitive match since the US Open in the fall of last year. The former No. 1 progressed to the third round of last year's tournament but lost to Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-3, 7-6. (5). "Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023," tweeted the official handle of the Australian Open. As a result of the 2021 champion withdrawing from the event, Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine entered the main draw. This week in Auckland, Williams, 42, won her first match before falling to Zhu Lin in three sets. Williams, who is currently competing on the Hologic WTA Tour for the 30th time, accepted a wild card to the Australian Open. She has finished in second place in Melbourne twice, with her most recent trip to the final occurring in 2017. Venus lost both of those finals to her sister Serena Williams. Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams stated on her YouTube channel in December that she has been "playing a lot of tennis" since the US Open and plans to keep playing in 2023. She participated in four singles matches last year. Melbourne will host the Australian Open which will begin on January 16. (ANI)
|
