Why isn’t Naomi Osaka playing at Wimbledon in 2022?

There’s another Grand Slam title up for grabs when Wimbledon 2022 begins Monday, June 27. 2021 women’s singles champion Ashleigh Barty has retired from the sport, opening up a great opportunity in that bracket for a number of competitors.

One of those competitors figured to be Naomi Osaka, who has seen a dip in form of late. She was bounced in the first round of the French Open after battling injuries in the previous competitions leading up to Roland Garros. According to Osaka’s social media, her Achilles still isn’t 100% and that’s why she’s pulled out of Wimbledon.

Osaka reportedly suffered this injury at the Madrid Open. Achilles injuries are notoriously tough to recover from, although Osaka has the benefit of age and time on her side in this case. It’s not a full tear, so it should heal completely when rested. It makes sense for Osaka to stay out of action until her injury is completely healed, because this particular ailment can easily spiral into something much worse.