Naomi Osaka refused to participate in Wimbledon 2022.
The tennis superstar dropped out of a major tournament due to serious injuries. She said the achilles injury she sustained during the first round of the Madrid Open “still doesn’t fit.”
“After the storm comes a lull. I am actively trying to master this saying,” Osaka wrote on Twitter. “I feel like life keeps handing out cards and you’ll never get used to them, but the way you adapt to uncomfortable situations really says a lot about your character. I’ve been repeating mantras in my head a lot lately. I do not know if this is necessary in order to subconsciously help myself in stressful times or for my mind to realize that everything will be fine as long as I work. After all, what else can you do? Every day before I go to bed, I think about all the people I love, and how grateful I am that they are in my life, I sincerely wish them all the best and hope that my existence brings them as much joy as me.”
The tennis world reacted to Osaka’s departure on Twitter.
“Minor setback, big comeback,” one fan wrote.
“Thinking is above all!!! You can’t change the circumstances, but you can choose how you want to treat it! Positive attitude = positive results,” another added.
“Returning to the hard—court season with a bang,” said another.
Osaka was already on the verge of participating in a Grand Slam tournament on grass after he was stripped of ranking points.
The next major tournament Osaka may return to is the U.S. Open this summer.
