Naomi Osaka Won't Play at 2020 French Open

Naomi Osaka announced on Thursday that she won’t be playing in the upcoming French Open.

Three-time major champion Naomi Osaka will not participate in the 2020 French Open this September.

Osaka, who recently took home her second U.S. Open title, said in a statement shared to social media, "My hamstring is still sore so I won't have enough time to prepare for the clay — these 2 tournaments came too close to each other for me this time."

The French Open is currently scheduled to begin Sept. 27. The tournament was initially scheduled for May 4-June 7, but was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Unlike with the U.S. Open, a limited number of fans will currently be allowed at the tournament. While last week, the French Tennis Federation said it planned to allow 11,500 spectators, that number has been cut to 5,000 per day because of surging COVID-19 figures in the country, the FFT announced Thursday.

"The evolving hygiene situation in the Paris area has prompted the Paris police department to limit the number of spectators who may enter Roland Garros," the FFT said Thursday.

France recorded 10,593 cases on Thursday, which is the highest daily number since the pandemic began.

Osaka has never made it past the third round of the French Open, having fallen in that stage in 2016, 2018 and 2019.


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Ben Pickman
BEN PICKMAN