Naomi Osaka to miss Wimbledon but plans to play in Tokyo Olympics

Naomi Osaka will not play at Wimbledon this year, but will take part in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The four-time grand slam champion is taking some personal time with friends and family but is planning to return at the Olympics and is “excited to play in front of her home fans”.

The All England Club released a statement, saying: “Naomi Osaka will be greatly missed by all of us at Wimbledon this year, but we completely understand her decision. We wish her a happy time with her friends and family and look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year.”

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The 23-year-old Japanese has not played since withdrawing from the French Open after the first round, saying she needed a break for her mental health.

It came after she was fined $15,000 when she did not conduct a post-match press conference following her win against Romanian Patricia Maria Tig.

World No 2 Osaka said she had suffered bouts of depression since winning her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2018 and that talking to the media triggered anxiety.

It comes just hours after Rafael Nadal announced he was withdrawing from both Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics.

Nadal lost his French Open semi-final to eventual winner Novak Djokovic and said he took the decision to help prolong his career as his body needed rest.

The Wimbledon main draw is set to start on June 28, while the first round of the men’s singles in Tokyo gets underway a month later on July 24.

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