A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka has endured a chaotic year since refusing to participate in post-match press conferences at Roland Garros 2021, dropping from the top of the WTA rankings to a six-year low of No. 85 at the start of this season. Though she finished runner-up at the Miami Open, she has not reached a quarterfinal since and is not entered in any more tournaments in 2022.
Still, the newly-turned 25-year-old teased a forthcoming return, likely in time for the Australian Open in January.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you for watching me go on this journey and I’m so grateful for all the love and messages, I really don’t know what I did to deserve it all. Love you and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”