Wimbledon is coming back to London later this month, but Naomi Osaka isn’t one of the players we’ll get to see on the tennis court. The four-time Grand Slam champion announced she’ll miss the tournament due to an Achilles injury.
Osaka announced her exit from Wimbledon in a social media post, where she reflected on her state of mind and explained that she’s trying to find a silver lining in a negative situation.
“After a storm comes the calm. This is a saying that I’m actively trying to master. II feel like life keeps dealing cards and you’re never gonna be used to them but it’s how you adapt to uncomfortable situations that really says stuff about your character,” wrote Osaka.
my Achilles still isn’t right so I’ll see you next time 🥹🌱👋🏾 pic.twitter.com/mryWdKnitN
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 18, 2022
The 2022 Wimbledon Championship is set to take place between June 27 and July 10 at the All England Club in London. Osaka’s exit from Wimbledon isn’t a huge shocker since she previously mentioned she might miss the tournament in an interview at the French Open. The 24-year-old player explained she’s not as motivated to compete because Wimbledon feels “like an exhibition” after it was stripped of the ranking points in the face of its polarizing Russian ban.
2022 has been a rocky year for Osaka, who dropped to no. 43 in the WTA rankings after taking several breaks from tennis. She most recently took part in the French Open last month but lost to Amanda Anisimova in the very first round.
