Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka became the latest star to exit the opening Grand Slam on Sunday, leaving the tournament without some of the biggest names in the game.
No reason for the Japanese player’s withdrawal was given with organizers Tennis Australia tweeting: “We will miss him at AO2023.”
Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska was promoted to the main draw at Melbourne Park in his absence.
Osaka has not played a competitive match since September and reports last week said that, despite being on the official entry list, Tennis Australia was having trouble verifying her whereabouts.
The 25-year-old’s social media account revealed that she has been traveling in Europe with her on-again, off-again boyfriend rapper Cordae.
He has not featured in another blow to the tournament since January 16 after US Open champion and world number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Friday with a right leg problem.
American veteran Venus Williams will also miss out after picking up an injury at the Auckland Classic last week and handing over the wildcard she has been awarded.
Open organizers have reeled from the retirement last year of women’s champion Ashleigh Barty and legends Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
Former Grand Slam number one and two-time world champion Simona Halep has not played again after being suspended in October for taking the banned roxadustat.
But nine-time champion Novak Djokovic is back after missing last year’s event when he was deported due to his vaccination status.
Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal, who won the 2022 title without Djokovic, will also line up, taking over the top seeding from Alcaraz.
Osaka, the champion in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021, last played at the tournament in Tokyo in September before withdrawing due to a stomach ailment, dropping to 42nd in the world rankings.
The four-time Grand Slam winner has previously spoken of his struggles with mental health and spent all of 2022 outside the top 10, suffering first-round defeats in France and the US. He withdrew from Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury.
Speaking at the Pan Pacific Open in September, he admitted that he had experienced “more downs than ups” in 2022.
“This year was not the best year for me, but I learned a lot about myself,” said Osaka, who also won the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020.
“Life is ups and downs, and this year has more downs than ups, but overall I’m pretty happy where I’m at right now.”