Naomi Osaka is out of the WTA Top 10 for the first time since winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2018 US Open.
The former world number one Osaka fell from No.7 to No.12 in the WTA rankings updated on Monday, October 4. The Japanese currently has 3326 ranking points, compared to 9077 held by top-ranked Ashleigh Barty.
The four-time major champion entered this year’s French Open ranked second, but after playing only one match in Paris, the tennis star withdrew as she couldn’t handle the pressure of talking to the media. To continue to focus on her mental health, the 23-year-old decided it was better to stay away from competition and skipped Wimbledon as well.
After playing the Tokyo Olympics, the Western & Southern Open and the US Open, where she lost to eventual runner-up Leylah Fernandez in the third round, Osaka announced an extended break from tennis.
Even though she’ll be missing the upcoming BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Osaka hinted that her return would happen in the near future, as she got the “itch” to play again. (photo: Jimmie48)
