Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the WTA tournament in Montreal next week, joining fellow Grand Slam winners Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek in pulling out of the Omnium Banque Nationale. Tennis Canada announced the withdrawals on 3 August, removing three top seeds from the draw. The WTA 1000 event is a key warm-up for the US Open, where Osaka is the defending champion.
World number four Kenin cited a foot injury that has sidelined her since Wimbledon. 'I'm really disappointed to have to retire from the Omnium Banque Nationale,' she said. 'Even though I have made progress, my foot injury has not recovered enough to allow me to play at the highest level. I think I need an extra week of rest and rehabilitation.'
Eighth-ranked Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, said she needed rest after competing at the Tokyo Olympics, where she lost in the third round. 'The first part of the season has been very intense for me and I need a few days to rest and prepare for the next few months,' she stated.
Osaka did not give a specific reason for her withdrawal, though Tennis Canada noted she also recently played at the Olympics. The former world number one has not competed in a WTA main draw since pulling out of the French Open in May due to mental health concerns. She skipped Wimbledon and has not played since. Last year, she won the US Open and reached the final of the Western & Southern Open, which she withdrew from due to a hamstring injury.
Osaka remains on the entry list for the Western & Southern Open, which precedes the US Open starting later this month. The Montreal tournament, which rotates with Toronto, will proceed without these three top players.
