Naomi Osaka pulls out of Berlin tournament, organisers confirm

Osaka has not said when she plans to play next, casting doubt on her participation at Wimbledon, which starts on June 28, and the Tokyo Olympics.

Published : Jun 07, 2021 15:36 IST , Berlin

World No. 1 Naomi Osaka pulled out of this year's French Open.
World No. 1 Naomi Osaka pulled out of this year's French Open.
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World No. 1 Naomi Osaka pulled out of this year's French Open.

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of next week's Berlin WTA grasscourt tournament in the wake of her controversial exit from the French Open, organisers confirmed on Monday.

"We have received notification that Naomi Osaka cannot start in Berlin. After consulting her management, she will take a break," said a spokesman for the Berlin tournament, which starts June 14.

Osaka has not said when she plans to play next, casting doubt on her participation at Wimbledon, which starts on June 28, and the Tokyo Olympics.

ALSO READ - Sponsors hail Osaka's 'courage' on mental health

The 23-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner has been in the spotlight since withdrawing from Roland Garros after a dispute over her refusal to attend press conferences.

As a result, French tennis officials fined Osaka $15,000 and threatened to axe her from the tournament for not honouring mandatory media commitments, prompting the Japanese star to withdraw.

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On Saturday, Osaka, who revealed her ongoing battle with depression and anxiety, thanked her supporters in a brief message on Instagram.

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