Former champion Osaka withdraws from Australian Open

Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 Melbourne Park champion, has not played on the WTA Tour since the Pan Pacific Open in September, where she pulled out of her second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia in Tokyo due to illness.

She had crashed out in the first round of three tournaments before that event, including the U.S. Open.

Her withdrawal marks a double blow for Australian Open organisers a day after American seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was ruled out due to injury.

Osaka, who has slipped to 42 in the world rankings, had taken a break to prioritise her mental health after skipping the 2021 French Open. She later said she had been battling depression and anxiety for years.