Naomi Osaka Tokyo/UNI: Reigning champion Naomi Osaka on Thursday withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open ahead of her second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia due to illness.
Haddad Maia advanced to the quarterfinals by walkover and will face No.4 seed Veronika Kudermetova, who dispatched qualifier Fernanda Contreras Gomez 6-0, 6-1.
"I am really sorry that I am not able to compete today," Osaka said in a statement.
"It’s an honor to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan. This has and always will be a special tournament for me and I wish I could have stepped on court today, but my body won’t let me.
"Thank you for all your support this week and I will see you next year."
A champion in 2019 when the tournament was temporarily held in Osaka, the former No.1 advanced to the second round this year after Daria Saville was forced to retire in the first round due to knee injury.
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