After a positive run so far in the ATP Qatar Open, fans looked forward to seeing more of Naomi Osaka‘s return to winning ways in tennis. However, it seems that the Japanese tennis star won’t be participating in the upcoming tournament in Dubai. Naomi Osaka, alongside Barbora Krejčíková, announced her exit from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.

In their statement, the ‘Dubai Tennis Championships’ mentioned, “We regret to inform you that Barbora Krejcikova & Naomi Osaka have pulled out of this year’s tournament.” For Naomi Osaka, it comes as a massive breather, since she is set to play her quarter-final match against Karolína Plíšková in the ATP Qatar Open just a day before the Dubai Tennis Championships starts.

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The real losers here are the fans, who get to see less of Naomi Osaka in a strong draw of WTA stars. It becomes especially saddening knowing Osaka’s recent string of positive performances.

Naomi Osaka pulls out of Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championship days after announcing participation

The biggest part of this shock was the fact that Osaka’s participation in the tournament was announced less than 2 days ago. Using her protected ranking, she entered the main draw to compete. The decision to pull out comes as a big surprise to fans.

For Osaka fans, with shock comes some relief. The Dubai Tennis Championships starts on 16th February, while Osaka plays in Doha on the 15th. Logistically, her participation invited a different problem altogether. In the case of Osaka losing in Doha, she would have had to manage the fatigue alongside travel to Dubai, and then prepare for the game.

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The positives for Osaka in Doha continue to emerge every single day. Naomi Osaka’s string of success in Doha went on to remind fans of her skill on the court. More importantly, her run has the potential to give a big jump to her current ranking. With Indian Wells right around the corner, a jump in ranking would be a massive boost.

WATCH THIS STORY: Get Ready To Make Out! – When Serena Williams Had A Hilarious Challenge For Naomi Osaka’s Former Coach