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3 players who have joined Emma Raducanu, Alexander Zverev on the injury list just 1 week into 2025 ft. Naomi Osaka

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Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka and Alexander Zverev (Source: Getty)

3 players who have joined Emma Raducanu, Alexander Zverev on the injury list just 1 week into 2025 ft. Naomi Osaka

Vedant Chandel

Modified Jan 05, 2025 09:26 GMT

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Following the likes of Emma Raducanu and Alexander Zverev, injury trouble has now surfaced for Naomi Osaka within the first week of 2025. The four-time Grand Slam champ was forced to retire from her ASB Classic after an abdominal injury.

Osaka, Raducanu and Zverev are not the only players battling fitness issues at the start of the new season. In fact, the tournaments in Australia have seen several last-minute withdrawals and mid-match retirements.

Here, we take a look at three of the biggest names who have to cut short promising runs after being troubled by varying injuries:

#3. Naomi Osaka

Clara Tauson and Naomi Osaka at the 2025 ASB Classic. (Source: Getty)Clara Tauson and Naomi Osaka at the 2025 ASB Classic. (Source: Getty)

Naomi Osaka was in the middle of a promising run but things came to a heartbreaking end, with her having to retire mid-match in the ASB Classic final. In fact, she was leading the scoreline after taking the first set against Clara Tauson 6-4.

The Japanese player called for a medical time-out during the change-over. Things became rather clear when she burst into tears after consulting with the on-court trainer.

Soon, Osaka was headed to the chair to concede the final, her first since her return to competition after giving birth to daughter Shai a couple of years ago. During her on-court interview, she addressed the injury, and on a positive note, even managed to have a light-hearted conversation about superstitions:

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t eat breakfast today so maybe that’s why I should stick to my superstitions.I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I had a lot of fun playing here. I’m really sorry about how it ended. I hope you enjoyed the tennis that we did play, I’m just really grateful to be here,” Naomi Osaka said.

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#2. Tomas Machac

Tomas Machac at the 2025 United Cup. (Source: Getty)Tomas Machac at the 2025 United Cup. (Source: Getty)

Another player who had to call time on a crucial match despite leading the scoreline this week was Tomas Machac, whose stellar show against a more-fancied Taylor Fritz ended in a retirement.

Playing in the US vs Czechia United Cup semifinal tie, the Czech overcame a slow start to edge his opponent in an opening set tiebreak. He was serving for the match-up a break in the second but could not close things out.

A courtside meltdown and cramps followed and Fritz was back in the game. The scoreline read 7-6(4), *5-6, still in Machac’s favor, when he walked up to the chair and handed over the match — and the tie — to the US. While there was no official word from him, Fritz addressed his opponent’s cramps in the on-court interview, saying:

“He told me that he had been cramping for a couple of games already. I’m not surprised that, like, someone could have started cramping in that match. I thought that it would probably happen later in the third set, but it was very humid in there. It was a very physical match, as well,” Taylor Fritz had said.

“Yeah, it happens, but I didn’t expect it to kind of just, I guess, end so abruptly, because I didn’t notice at the time that he was cramping,” he added.

With Karolina Muchova already having lost the opening singles tie against Coco Gauff, Machac’s retirement meant that the US progressed to the United Cup final.

#1. Grigor Dimitrov

Grigor Dimitrov at the 2025 Brisbane International. (Source: Getty)Grigor Dimitrov at the 2025 Brisbane International. (Source: Getty)

Grigor Dimitrov’s Brisbane International title defense also came to a tragic end when he was forced to end his semifinal encounter against Jiri Lehecka due to a groin injury.

The Bulgarian, who lifted the trophy 12 months ago, was on an eight-match winning streak at the venue. His 2024 run had seen him beat the likes of Holger Rune and Andy Murray en route to the title.

This year, Dimitrov managed to pick up from right where he left off. The seasoned campaigner picked up straight-set wins over Yannick Hanfmann and Aleksandar Vukic before getting the better of Jordan Thompson via another retirement.

Down a set and tied 4-4 in the semifinal clash against Lehecka, however, Dimitrov was forced to pull out with a groin injury.

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