The game of tennis will have to be without one of its best players for a little bit longer.
After withdrawing from the French Open as a result of the controversy surrounding her skipping her media availability, her team announced on Thursday that the star is also withdrawing from Wimbledon.
These are two of the premier tournaments for the sport and Osaka — unquestionably one of the best players in the world — will miss both.
She decided to take a mental health break after the French Open controversy and still seems to be on that break with Wimbledon coming up. In a statement, her team said she is “taking some personal time with friends and family” and that she will be ready to play in the Olympics.
BREAKING: Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from Wimbledon.
A statement from her team says: "Naomi won’t be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans."
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) June 17, 2021
Osaka did say she was taking an indefinite break from competition, so this isn’t necessarily out of nowhere. But it is certainly a big blow for the sport. The tournament certainly won’t be the same without her.
She’s the world’s number 2 player right and a budding star, to boot, at just 23 years old. The sport is hands-down better with her in it.
But she’s prioritizing her mental health. And that’s a good thing. It’s also something fans have supported and praised from her.
The sport will always be here when she gets back.
