Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open after a grueling Canadian Open campaign, that saw her reach the final. The Japanese suffered a 6-2, 4-6, 1-6 defeat to Victoria Mboko in the final in Montreal, which took place on the same day the main draw in Cincinnati commenced.
Naomi Osaka Joins Victoria Mboko in Withdrawing from Cincinnati Open
Osaka and Mboko both recently withdrew from the Cincinnati Open. Both players were unseeded by the time the main draw of the tournament took place but they received performance byes into the second round in light of their respective impressive campaigns at the Canadian Open.
However, Osaka and Mboko both withdrew from the WTA 1000 event. While the Canadian confirmed her absence after the final in Montreal, the Japanese’s withdrawal was confirmed on X by the Cincinnati Open.
Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka have withdrawn and will be replaced by lucky losers. #CincyTennis
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 8, 2025
Four lucky losers from qualifying have entered the Cincinnati Open main draw courtesy of the Osaka’s and Mboko’s withdrawals. Instead of the Japanese, Iva Jovic and Solana Sierra will lock horns for a place in the second round of the WTA 1000 event while a matchup between Yue Yuan and Cristina Bucșa will replace Victoria Mboko.
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Naomi Osaka is Next Scheduled to Compete at the US Open
Following her Cincinnati Open withdrawal, Naomi Osaka will next compete at the US Open, a tournament she won twice, in 2018 and 2020. The Japanese had a second-round exit at last year’s edition of the New York Major, losing 3-6, 6-7(5) to eventual semifinalist Karolína Muchová. She is yet to reach the second week of the tournament since her 2020 triumph.
Naomi Osaka has won 22 out of 34 WTA Tour matches so far in the 2025 season, with the Canadian Open final being her second tour-level title clash. The Japanese has won seven out of nine matches during the North American hard-court swing.
Before her impressive run in Montreal, Osaka competed at the Citi DC Open and reached the second round after beating Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 7-5. Here, she lost 2-6, 4-6 to eventual semifinalist Emma Raducanu.
The former World No. 1’s remarkable run in Montreal has seen her rise 25 spots up to 25th in the WTA rankings. She looks on course to be seeded at the US Open, which would be the first time she will be a seed at a Major for the first time since Australian Open 2022.
AloJapan.com