Naomi Osaka’s struggles at the start of 2026 have continued, with the Japanese star pulling out of another tournament.

Last month, Osaka advanced to the third round of the Australian Open after a tight win over Sorana Cirstea.

However, she hasn’t played since then. Osaka withdrew from her third-round match due to a recurring abdominal injury.

Osaka has also withdrawn from the Qatar Open and has now confirmed that she will miss another tournament.

Naomi Osaka withdraws from another WTA event

Following her decision to skip the Qatar Open, Osaka remained listed for another event in the region.

That tournament was the Dubai Tennis Championships, but she has since pulled out of that WTA 1000 event as well.

This means we won’t see her back on court until March at the earliest, with both Indian Wells and Miami Open on her schedule for then.

With her fitness still in question ahead of Indian Wells, there’s growing concern around how prepared she’ll be when she does return.

However, it is worth noting that Osaka hasn’t played Dubai since 2019, so this particular withdrawal may not carry as much weight as others.

Madison Keys among several withdrawals from Dubai Tennis Championships

Naomi Osaka isn’t the only notable absence from this year’s Dubai Tennis Championships, with four other players also pulling out of the tournament.

Madison Keys, who fell short in her title defence at the Australian Open, has since withdrawn from both Doha and Dubai. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise though, as she hasn’t played in the Middle East swing since 2023.

The three other confirmed withdrawals seem to be more injury-related. Veronika Kudermetova had surgery late last year and isn’t expected to return any time soon.

Eva Lys and Marta Kostyuk have also pulled out after picking up injuries early in the 2026 season. Lys suffered a knee issue during the United Cup that affected her performance at the Australian Open, while Kostyuk tore a ligament after rolling her ankle during her first-round match in Melbourne.

It remains to be seen if there will be further withdrawals before the tournament gets underway, with doubts still lingering over Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula.

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