After losing 6-3, 6-1 to Sara Sorribes Tormo in the second round of the Madrid Open, former World No.1 Naomi Osaka dismissed any long-term injury concerns.
As the four-time Grand Slam champion prepares to compete in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon, the 24-year-old Japanese said on Sunday that she has been trying to focus on her net game.
“So I have been really trying to focus on my net game because I’m going to play mixed doubles in Wimbledon. I know, shocking, right? I’m shocked too,” Naomi Osaka revealed.
Following a strong first-round performance in which she defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-3, 6-1, Osaka took the court against Spanish Sorribes Tormo with a heavily taped lower leg. She, on the other hand, assured me that everything would be fine.
“I felt something in my Achilles after my last match, and I wasn’t really able to hit yesterday because I wanted it to go away,” Naomi Osaka told reporters after the match.
“I felt it again today and I tried to take an ibuprofen (a pain killer) during the match but I probably should have taken it way sooner than I did. But, yeah, I’m sure it will be fine,” she said.
Osaka stated that she had similar pain in her Achilles after the Miami Open a few years ago and that she will have an ultrasound to better understand the problem.
“I can’t imagine that it will be a huge problem unless something significant happens, but I think for right now, just learning how to move forward with everything.”
Sorribes Tormo wisely made the match as physical as possible after seeing Osaka struggle with her movement. Osaka, on the other hand, vowed to use the match as a learning experience.
“I don’t want to retire because of injury again in my career,” Naomi Osaka said.
(Inputs from IANS)