Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open, cites hamstring soreness

Osaka, who is ranked third in the world, also cited a lack of preparation time on the clay surface as another reason for her not playing.

The French Open is scheduled to being on Sept. 27 after being rescheduled from its traditional spring dates due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Osaka has never advanced past the third round of the event. 

Osaka earned her third major title in New York at the U.S. OPen thanks to a three-set comeback win over Victoria Azarenka. The win closed out a dominant three-week stretch for Osaka. During the two-tournament bubble, she won 11 consecutive matches and advanced to the Western and Southern Open final during the first week, but withdrew because of her injured hamstring. 

Osaka's play isn't the only reason why she's received plenty of attention lately. The native of Japan has been praised for her commitment to activism and social justice. During the Western and Southern Open, she decided to sit out her semifinal match to express solidarity with other athletes who protested following the shooting of Jacob Blake. During the U.S. Open, she wore masks with the names of Black people who have died because of police brutality and racial injustice. 

The 22-year-old is unsure when she'll take the court next, though did assure fans that it'll be sooner rather than later.