Naomi Osaka’s preparations for Wimbledon have been thrown into question after she retired from the final of the Bad Homburg Open on Saturday with a foot injury. The four-time Grand Slam champion was trailing Karolina Muchova 6-1, 1-0 in her first career grass-court final when she decided she could not continue, the Associated Press reports.
What happened in the final match?
The final ended abruptly after Naomi Osaka retired at the start of the second set. According to the Associated Press, Osaka had already taken a medical timeout for a foot injury during the first set. After losing the first game of the second set, she walked to the net to shake hands with Muchova and the umpire, conceding the match. The victory gave Muchova her third career title.
How did Osaka reach the final?
Osaka had a strong week on the grass in Germany, reaching her first-ever final on the surface without dropping a set. In the semi-finals on Friday, she defeated China’s Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-3 in just over an hour, according to Agence France-Presse. It was the 14th tour-level final of her career, and the first on a surface other than hard court.
What are the implications for Wimbledon?
The timing of the injury raises concerns about Osaka's fitness for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday. As the 14th seed, she is scheduled to face France's Elsa Jacquemot in the first round. Osaka, a former world No. 1, has never advanced past the third round at the All England Club.
The Bad Homburg final was Osaka's first since losing to Canadian Victoria Mboko at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montréal in July 2025, as reported by Yahoo Actualités France. Her ability to compete in London will be closely watched as the tournament gets underway.
Sources
- Associated Press: Naomi Osaka retires in second set of Bad Homburg final with foot injury. , published 2026-06-27.
- Yahoo Sport UK: Osaka sinks Wang to reach first grass court final. , published 2026-06-26.
- Cebu Daily News: Naomi Osaka reaches first grass court final at Bad Homburg Open. , published 2026-06-27.
- Yahoo Actualités France: WTA 500 de Bad Homburg: première finale sur gazon pour Osaka juste avant Wimbledon. , published 2026-06-26.
- MARCA: Osaka alcanza en la hierba de Bad Homburg la primera final de su carrera lejos de la pista dura. , published 2026-06-26.
Reported from public sources.