Naomi Osaka retired from the Bad Homburg WTA 500 final due to a right foot injury, handing the title to Karolina Muchova. The retirement raises questions about her readiness for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday.
Osaka called for a medical timeout at 3-0 in the first set while trailing Muchova. She continued after treatment but retired at 1-6, 0-1 in the second set.
The Japanese player addressed the crowd after the match. She said, “I just want to say thank you everyone that came to the match. I apologize for not being able to finish, but this atmosphere was incredible throughout the whole week.”
Osaka also congratulated Muchova, calling her “one of the coolest girls on tour.” Muchova claimed her second title of the year with a 29-8 record.
The four-time Grand Slam champion had reached her first grass-court final since 2018. Her movement on the surface had looked strong before the injury occurred.