Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka to defend US Open title

Japan's Osaka stunned the tennis world when she quit the claycourt major in Paris in May following her first-round match after being fined and threatened with disqualification when she refused to attend mandatory post-match press conferences.

The world number two, who said she had social anxiety, also skipped Wimbledon but is scheduled to play at the Tokyo Olympics and then in Montreal next month.

Osaka will be part of a women's field at the U.S. Open that will also include world number one Ash Barty, who lifted her second major title at Wimbledon earlier this month.

Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka both out of Wimbledon

Nadal, a two-time champion at the All England Club, announced via a series of social media posts on Friday that he would also miss the Tokyo Olympics to rest and recover “after listening to my body.”

“The goal,” the 35-year-old Spaniard said, “is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy.”

Osaka’s agent, Stuart Duguid, wrote in an email that the four-time Grand Slam champion does plan to head to the Summer Games after skipping Wimbledon.

Osaka getting plenty of support

One of the biggest names in sport, Osaka stunned the tennis world when she pulled out of the Grand Slam earlier this week after being fined and threatened with expulsion for declining to face the media after her first-round match.

The four Grand Slam tournaments released a statement commending Osaka for sharing her experience and promised to make things better for players.

"We wish to offer Naomi Osaka our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court," they said in a statement.

Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open after refusing to do news conferences

On Sunday a joint statement from Grand Slam organisers said Osaka could face expulsion from the tournament.

The 23-year-old said last week she would not do news conferences at Roland Garros to protect her mental health.

She said on Monday she "never wanted to be a distraction" to the event.

In a tweet, Osaka revealed she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018.

The Japanese four-time major winner added that she gets "huge waves of anxiety" before speaking to the world's media.

Naomi Osaka faces default from Grand Slam for refusing to speak to media

Japan's Osaka said last week she will not give any news conferences during Roland Garros because she wants to protect her mental health.

She was fined $15,000 (£10,570) for not doing media after Sunday's first-round win over Romania's Patricia Maria Tig.

The second seed won 6-4 7-6 (7-4).

A joint statement from the four Grand Slam organisers said Osaka also faces "more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions".

Osaka lifts Australian Open trophy

Osaka's one-sided win over the 22nd-seeded American in the final at Rod Laver Arena gave the Japanese juggernaut her fourth major crown, with her career still budding at the age of 23.

She joined Monica Seles and Roger Federer as winners in their first four Grand Slam finals, marking her out as the ultimate big match performer.

"My reaction is that that's very amazing company," Osaka said, sitting next to the winner's Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

Australian Open 2021: Serena Williams faces Naomi Osaka for place in final

American Williams, 39, has rediscovered her best form at Melbourne Park but faces a tough test against Osaka.

She has not played Osaka at a Grand Slam since the Japanese beat her in a dramatic 2018 US Open final.

The match was overshadowed by Williams' argument with umpire Carlos Ramos.

Williams called the umpire a "thief" after he deducted a point from her, and Osaka was reduced to tears by the crowd booing during the presentation ceremony.

"I think we both have had closure, and we have reached out to each other," Williams said of the match.

Serena crushes Halep to set up Osaka semi-final

The 39-year-old went toe-to-toe with the Romanian second seed over 80 minutes on Rod Laver Arena before she was finally able to move to within two victories of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

Williams hit some ferocious forehands and moved around the court with a freedom that she has not enjoyed for a good while to set up a semi-final meeting against in-form Japanese third seed Osaka.

Top tennis player supports electronic line judges

Triple Grand Slam champion Osaka said it had taken time to get used to the system but would be happy for it to be adopted at other tournaments.

"I feel like for me, it saves me the trouble of attempting to challenge or thinking about, 'Did they call it correctly or not?'" the Japanese third seed said.

"It actually gets me really focused. I don't mind it at all."

The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam to dispense with human line judges as part of efforts to reduce personnel and stage a biosecure tournament amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Naomi Osaka beats Victoria Azarenka to win third Grand Slam title

Japanese fourth seed Osaka, 22, won 1-6 6-3 6-3 for her second US Open title.

Osaka was overwhelmed in the first set and was in danger of trailing 3-0 in the second before recovering to win 10 of the next 11 games to take momentum.

Belarusian Azarenka, in her first major final since 2013, was broken for 5-3 in the decider before Osaka served out.

Osaka shrieked with joy as she took her second match point, then calmly lay on the court and stared at the New York sky as she contemplated her latest achievement.