Naomi Osaka suffers from a big fear of injury before Wimbledon, withdraws from the Bad Homburg final

Naomi Osaka’s encouraging run ahead of Wimbledon came to a painful end on Saturday after the Japanese star was forced to withdraw from the Bad Homburg Open final with an apparent injury, handing the WTA 500 title to Karolina Mucha. The injury scare comes just two days before Wimbledon starts and raises fresh concerns about whether Osaka is ready for this year’s third Grand Slam.

Osaka enjoyed her best-ever grass court tournament in Germany, reaching the first tournament final of her career on the surface. The four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova and Wang Xinya en route to the final, showing better movement and confidence on grass. Her run suggested that she had finally found comfort on a surface that had traditionally been the least successful.

However, the fight for the title against Muchová ended in disappointment. Osaka appeared to struggle physically during the opening stages of the match and was eventually unable to continue, retiring before the match with Mucha leading 6–1, 1–0. Tournament officials did not immediately disclose the exact nature of the injury, while Osaka is expected to undergo further evaluation before the start of Wimbledon.

OSAKA’S WIMBLEDON HOPES HANG IN THE BALANCE

The timing of the setback could not have been worse. Wimbledon starts on Monday, so Osaka has very little time to recover. After returning to the tour after becoming a mother in 2023, the former world number one has been steadily rebuilding her game over the past year. Her performances in Bad Homburg gave her plenty of encouragement to finally make a deep run on grass.

Despite the heartbreaking finish, Osaka will take credit for the quality of tennis she has displayed throughout the week. She served with authority, dictating plays from the baseline and looking increasingly comfortable on the slippery surface. It marked a marked improvement over previous seasons on grass, during which she struggled to achieve consistent results.

MUCHOVA RISES IN BAD HOMBURG

For Karolína Muchová, the victory rounded off a great week in Germany. The Czech, known for her all-court play and versatility, won the Bad Homburg title after producing another composed display. Muchova reached the final by defeating Elena-Gabriela Ruse, while Osaka secured her place with a convincing straight sets victory over China’s Wang Xinyu.

With her triumph, Muchová was among the best players heading to Wimbledon. A former Grand Slam finalist, the Czech has repeatedly shown that her charm, net play and tactical awareness make her particularly dangerous on grass courts. The Bad Homburg crown provides another confidence boost as he prepares for the All England Club.

As for Osaka, all eyes will now be on her medical updates over the next 48 hours. The Japanese star owns four Grand Slam titles – two Australian Opens and two US Opens – but has never gone beyond the third round at Wimbledon. Her performances in Germany suggested that this could finally change this year.

Whether she takes her place at Wimbledon now depends on the severity of the injury she suffered in Bad Homburg. Fans around the tennis world will be hoping that the retirement was only precautionary and allowed one of the sport’s biggest stars to compete on the biggest stage again.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

27 Jun 2026 16:25 IST