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Naomi Osaka Exits US Open After Achilles Problem Ends Run

The defeat signals a comeback now defined by recovery, changing priorities after motherhood, Nike’s basketball‑themed fashion partnership

Overview

  • Osaka was eliminated in the fourth round by World No. 2 Elena Rybakina in straight sets, losing 6-1, 6-4 and citing an Achilles issue that limited her movement.
  • Her chief frustration after the match was the inability to push off her foot rather than the loss itself, a point she made in post‑match comments.
  • Throughout the tournament she staged a series of basketball‑inspired walk‑on looks developed with stylist Law Roach and Nike, including a fur‑trimmed, multicoloured KidSuper cloak for her final appearance.
  • Osaka has framed this return from maternity leave as part of a broader comeback that balances elite competition with new personal priorities, saying another Grand Slam would not change her life the way it once did.
  • The run at Flushing Meadows combined on‑court evidence that she can still compete at a high level with off‑court cultural storytelling, and her team will now focus on recovery and the Asian swing later this month.