Naomi Osaka pulls out of French Open with injured hamstring, wishes competitors luck

U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the French Open because of an injured left hamstring. Osaka joins defending champion Ash Barty in skipping the French Open, which opens on Sept. 27 in Paris. Osaka, who is ranked No. 3, hurt the hamstring last month at the Western & Southern Open, also in New York, and withdrew from that tournament’s final because of it, then wore heavy tape during the U.S. Open. Osaka would not have been a favorite on the clay surface. The U.S. Open title was her third major tournament title.

READ | Naomi Osaka Comes Back, Beats Azarenka To Win More Than Just 2nd US Open Title

Osaka pulls out from French Open

READ | Are YBN Cordae And Naomi Osaka Dating? Learn More About The Tennis Player

Naomi Osaka wins 2nd US Open title

After one errant forehand in the first set of the U.S. Open final, Naomi Osaka looked at her coach in the mostly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium stands with palms up, as if to say, “What the heck is happening?” In response to another wayward forehand against Victoria Azarenka seconds later, Naomi Osaka chucked her racket. It spun a bit and rattled against the court. Surprisingly off-kilter in the early going Saturday, Naomi Osaka kept missing shots and digging herself a deficit. Until, suddenly, she lifted her game, and Azarenka couldn’t sustain her start. By the end, Naomi Osaka pulled away to a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory for her second U.S. Open championship and third Grand Slam title overall.

READ | Champ Naomi Osaka Fires Message And A Promise To The 'keep Politics Out Of Sports' Brigade

Naomi Osaka masks and BLM support

What started with her exit from the Western & Southern Open, Naomi Osaka continued taking a stand during the US Open. She wore masks with victims names printed on them, wearing seven different names for seven different games. She started with a Breonna Taylor mask, followed by Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile and Tamir Rice – who were all police brutality victims.

People and fans all over the world appreciated her efforts, as it is easy to boycott during the first round, but not easy to withdraw before a semi-final. "She has shown more and more confidence about speaking up," said Billie Jean King – a tennis legend and social justice advocate. He added that while Osaka might appear quiet and calm, she is "internally" on fire and always thinking about things.

However, there have been reports about sponsors being wary of her stand for the BLM movement. Osaka, who was born in Japan, moved to the USA and was raised there. While she is expected to represent Japan during the Tokyo Olympics next year, many people are reportedly not on board with her activism.

READ | Naomi Osaka Wins Respect Of More Than Just Tennis Fans With US Open Triumph Photo-post

Image credits: AP