Naomi Osaka pulled out of Wimbledon today, citing a lingering problem with her left Achilles tendon and marking the second consecutive year she's decided to sit out the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.
The four-time major champion and former No. 1-ranked player posted a photo of herself on a grass court and wrote on Twitter: "my Achilles still isn't right so I'll see you next time."
Osaka has not played an official match since losing in the first round of the French Open to Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-4 on May 24. During that match, for which she said she took a painkiller, Osaka tried to stretch her tendon by tugging on the toe of her shoe at changeovers and squatting to flex her lower leg between points.
After that defeat, Osaka said she was leaning toward missing Wimbledon because the professional tennis tours aren't ranking points awarded — a response to the All England Club's decision to bar all players from Russia and Belarus over the war in Ukraine.
![FILE - Japan's Naomi Osaka serves against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. during their first round match at the French Open tennis tournament. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/2JWYE5FGKUQ5W7UUM5BP44BVKI.jpg?auth=15ae0a57daca968242701ca19d7c78ed57a4eaafd76717a439e1aa6254c83561&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)