Osaka withdraws from Toronto

Toronto (AFP)
Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who has won four major titles, withdrew from her first round match at the Toronto Open due to back pain, while Britain’s Emma Radokano was eliminated from the same round, in a setback for the two players who won the US Open, which begins at the end of this month, on a day that witnessed A tribute to Serena Williams, who announced the start of the “countdown” to her retirement.
Osaka was 7-6 (7/4) 3-0 behind against Estonian Kaya Kanepi, runner-up in Washington last week, when she decided to withdraw in tears because of back pain.
She said after the loss: “I felt pain in my back since the beginning of the match, and although I tried to continue and prejudice, I was not able today, I want to praise Kaya because she played well.”
Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 US Open champion, has played only six matches (lose four and win two) since her fall in the Miami 1,000th final in early April against world number one Iga Švientek of Poland.
Radocano, who held the title of Flushing Meadows last year, also exited the first round by falling to Italian Camila Giorgi 7-6 (7-0), 6-2.
Despite setbacks in the city where she was born 19 years ago, the world number 10 remained optimistic before starting her title defense campaign in New York.
“It was a really good match, to be honest,” she said. The level was very high, especially in the first group, Camila is a great competitor, she won this tournament last year. Maybe I have to deal better with the players who play fast like her.”
Radocano praised Williams, who announced on Tuesday that she would retire from the game after the US Open: “She definitely changed tennis, no one has dominated like her in women’s tennis.”
She continued: “Her career is amazing, she has achieved so much, and to see her competing in the US Open is inspiring. She continues to play because she loves this sport. This continuity of the path is something that many players, including myself, aspire to achieve.”
For her part, American Coco Gauff, after qualifying for the second round at the expense of her compatriot Madison Pringle 6-1.6-3, confirmed that she hopes to meet her ideal before retiring.
She said: “I grew up watching her, she is the reason I play tennis, I’m a little sad because I always wanted to play against her, so I hope she will draw me in Cincinnati or the United States or even here if we know, that is one of my goals.”
“The legacy she left during her tennis career is something I don’t think any other player can touch,” she said of the 23-times major winner. It is something that can inspire many generations,” she said, adding, “I knew that day would finally come. I didn’t know if he would be at this US Open or the next. It’s not really shocking news, but it’s almost shocking… It’s been playing since time immemorial, all my life.”