Naomi Osaka has crashed out of the French Open and also cast doubt on featuring in next month Wimbledon.
Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka has crashed out of the French Open after she suffered defeat to Amanda Anisimova.
According to Skysports, Osaka further cast doubt on whether she will feature in month Wimbledon after the defeat.
The first three games all went against serve in a tense start but Anisimova held to go 3-1 ahead.
A backhand error by Anisimova allowed Osaka to level for 3-3, but a double fault in the 11th game allowed Anisimova to move 6-5 up and she held serve to love to take the set.
Anisimova broke decisively for 4-3 in the second set as Osaka again double faulted game.
After a couple of match points went begging, Anisimova finished it off with a stunning backhand winner down the line.
Osaka further stated that she was not sure if she would play on grass this season, after the sport’s authorities stripped Wimbledon of its ranking points over the tournament’s decision to exclude players from Russia and Belarus over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I would say like the decision is kind of affecting, like, my mentality going into grass, like I’m not 100 per cent sure if I’m going to go there,” she told a news conference after her loss.
“I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but like at the same time, for me, it’s kind of like – I don’t want to say pointless, no pun intended, but I’m the type of player that gets motivated by… seeing my ranking go up.
“I think the intention was really good, but the execution is kind of all over the place.”
She added: “I’m not sure why, but I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it’s more like an exhibition.
“I know this isn’t true, right? But my brain just feels that way. Whenever I think something is like an exhibition, I just can’t go at it 100 per cent.
“I’m leaning more towards not playing given the current circumstances.”
