Osaka Battles Injury and Emotion to Reach Japan Open Quarterfinals

Naomi Osaka battled through pain and emotion to reach the quarterfinals of the Japan Open on Wednesday, fighting back tears after sealing victory over defending champion Suzan Lamens.

The top seed, competing in a singles event on home soil for the first time in three years, edged a tense encounter 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2 to set up a last-eight clash with Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian.

“Emotionally, I was going through a lot in this match,” Osaka admitted afterward. “In the third set, I just tried my best to have no regrets.”

The former world number one looked in complete control when she raced to a 5-0 lead in the deciding set, but required a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left leg. Returning to court with heavy strapping around her thigh, she dropped the next two games before closing out the match after two hours and 20 minutes.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, sealed victory with a backhand winner before covering her face with her hand and appearing to choke back tears. She later revealed she had taken painkillers to manage the injury but admitted her leg “doesn’t feel good.”

“I couldn’t really move that well,” she said. “It’s not good, but I think I’m a fast healer, so it should be OK for my next match.”

The 27-year-old is playing her first tournament since reaching the US Open semifinals, where she lost to American Amanda Anisimova. It marks another positive step in her comeback season after years of inconsistency and injury struggles.

Osaka, currently ranked 16th in the world, has not advanced to the second week of a Grand Slam since winning her second Australian Open title in 2021, but her performances in Osaka suggest she is rediscovering both her rhythm and resolve.