Naomi Osaka likely to miss Australian Open as officials don't know her whereabouts

Naomi Osaka (Source: Twitter)

Former No 1 Tennis player Naomi Osaka is likely to miss the opening Grand Slam tournament of the season as Australian Open officials don't know the whereabouts of the Japanese star. With just 11 days left in the tournament and tennis stars arriving in Melbourne, Osaka is still believed to be in America.

The Australian Associated Press believe that officials appear 'quietly resigned' that the two-time champion will not appear in Melbourne for the tournament. The Australian Open first-round draw will be made next Thursday and all eyes will be on whether Osaka withdraws or makes an unlikely last-minute trip to the event.

The four-time Grand Slam winner won the Australian Open in both 2019 and 2021 but hasn't played a competitive tennis match for over three months since pulling out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo after suffering abdominal pain. The Japanese star endured an injury-plagued year in 2022 with her best performance coming by reaching the Miami Open in April dropping down to world No.42

She took a mental health break quitting the 2021 French Open because she did not want to speak at press conferences and was worried about competing in last year's tournament - going out in the first round. Osaka has previously spoken about struggling with depression and anxiety during her tennis career.

If I don't play tennis for too long, I get an itch: Naomi Osaka

Last month the former world No.1 seemed to confirm that she would return to the tennis court this season after getting the "itch". Away from the court Osaka has a host of endorsement deals and partnered with Stuart Duguid to form her own sports agency. She also wrote her own children's book titled "The way champs play."

She told Good Morning America,"I feel like I'm a very curious person, so I've really been grateful to have been given all these avenues to explore, so I'm definitely looking forward to doing a lot of stuff, but I am a tennis player, so, if I don't play tennis for too long, I get an itch.”