Naomi Osaka, Victoria Azarenka withdraw from Australian Open tuneup tournaments

Image Source : GETTY IMAGES No. 3-ranked Osaka pulled out of her Gippsland Trophy semifinal in opposition to Elise Mertens, citing a “niggling damage.”
Former Australian Open champions Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka withdrew from tuneup tournaments Saturday, two days earlier than the 12 months’s first tennis main begins at Melbourne Park.
No. 3-ranked Osaka pulled out of her Gippsland Trophy semifinal in opposition to Elise Mertens, citing a “niggling damage.”

Azarenka withdrew from the Grampians Trophy quarterfinal match in opposition to Anett Kontaveit with a decrease again downside.
Serena Williams withdrew from the Yarra Valley Classic late Friday after qualifying for a semifinal in opposition to top-ranked Ash Barty.

All worldwide gamers and workers have been by two weeks of quarantine. Organizers placed on six tournaments this week at Melbourne Park to provide gamers time to organize for the Australian Open, which has been delayed three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Open champion Osaka and Serena Williams, who’s chasing a document twenty fourth Grand Slam singles title, are on the identical half of the draw on the Australian Open.
“Sorry to Tennis Australia and the fans to have to withdraw today,” Osaka mentioned. “I have a niggling injury and in light of the (Australian Open) on the horizon, I need to be cautious. I look forward to competing next week.”
Her withdrawal provides Mertens a walkover into the ultimate.
The withdrawals compelled a reshuffle of the order of play on Margaret Court Arena. Former champion Angelique Kerber was moved as much as meet fifth-seeded Maria Sakkari.