Naomi Osaka status for 2023 Australian Open uncertain with no confirmation yet from former winner – report

Naomi Osaka’s participation at the 2023 Australian Open is in doubt with the former winner not yet in the country and her status for the first Grand Slam of the year not yet confirmed.

Osaka, who triumphed in Australia in 2019 and 2021, has not played a match since retiring injured from the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in late September, her only tournament after being knocked out of the US Open in the first round.

Whilst she is still officially down to play the Slam she has not entered the warm-up events in Adelaide or Hobart.

Osaka is currently back in America after spending time in Europe.

Iga Swiatek is currently the No 1 seed for the draw that will take place next Thursday.

Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed for the men’s draw.

Exclusive: Wilander on Raducanu – She has to find an identity.

Speaking exclusively to Eurosport’s Arnold Montgault, Wilander said: “It’s not going to be a big surprise if she [Raducanu] sort of breaks through again, so to speak, and gets up to sort of the top 10 in the world, and she has a couple of quarter finals.

“It’s not a big surprise because she has the level. She understands tennis. She has the level when she’s playing well.

“She has to solve certain things around her tennis. She’s got to solve the coaching situation. She’s got to find somebody that she trusts so that she finds her identity as a player.

“If you ask me, and I’ve seen a lot of tennis, I don’t know if I’m going to put her in the aggressive category or if I’m going to put her in the defensive category. If I’m going to put her forehand better than her backhand. Is her movement as good as [world No. 1 Iga] Swiatek?

“I don’t know what I’m looking for because it’s a little bit all over the place, and everything fell into place during two weeks in New York. That’s it.

“But the qualities she showed and shows every time she steps on the court? Yes, she can be one of the best players in the world, but she has to find an identity.

“What am I relying on? What’s my absolute strength?