Osaka to miss remainder of WTA season with back injury

Naomi Osaka will miss the remainder of the WTA tour due to a back injury.

The Hong Kong Open, set to begin on October 28, announced on its social media channels on Monday that the four-time grand slam singles champion was not only withdrawing from the tournament but also ending her season early.

"I'm really sorry that I have had to withdraw from competing at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open and the rest of this tennis season," Osaka said in a statement shared by the Hong Kong tournament.

"There is a wonderful line-up of world-class players coming to the tournament, and I want to wish them all the best of luck in this exciting event."

The WTA also made the announcement on its website.

Osaka retired from her fourth-round match against American Coco Gauff at the China Open three weeks ago and has not played since. She suffered back and abdominal injuries.

She wrote on social media last week in response to a fan's Instagram question that the problem was "worse than she thought," and she was "trying her best" to "potentially play" her home event in Tokyo, which she won in 2019.

But Osaka wasn't in the Tokyo draw over the weekend.