Naomi Osaka’s build-up to Wimbledon 2026 suffered a major blow after the Japanese star retired with a foot injury during the Bad Homburg Open final on Saturday.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was playing in her first-ever grass-court final but could not complete the match against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.
Osaka, seeded fourth in the tournament, was trailing 6-1, 1-0 when she decided to withdraw at the beginning of the second set.
Foot injury forces Osaka to retire
Osaka looked uncomfortable throughout the opening set and took a medical timeout as she struggled with a foot problem.
However, the injury did not improve. After the first game of the second set, she signalled that she could not continue.
The 28-year-old then walked to the net, shook hands with Muchova and the chair umpire, officially ending the final.
Osaka apologises to fans after retirement
Despite the disappointing end, Osaka thanked the fans who supported her throughout the tournament.
During the trophy presentation, she said:
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who came to watch the match. I apologise for not being able to finish, but this atmosphere was incredible the whole week.”
Her comments received warm applause from the crowd, who appreciated her efforts despite the injury.
Wimbledon campaign now under question
The timing of the injury is a concern for Osaka, with Wimbledon set to begin on Monday.
Although she has won four Grand Slam titles in her career, grass has never been her strongest surface.
Osaka has never progressed beyond the third round at Wimbledon.
She is seeded 14th for this year’s tournament and is scheduled to face Elsa Jacquemot in the opening round.
Her fitness over the next few days will now be closely monitored.
Karolina Muchova wins third WTA title
While Osaka’s retirement was unfortunate, Karolina Muchova completed an impressive week by lifting the Bad Homburg Open trophy.
The Czech star, currently ranked World No. 11, secured her third career WTA singles title and her first title on grass.
It was also her ninth appearance in a WTA Tour-level final, making the victory another important milestone in her career.
The final started early due to extreme heat
Tournament organizers moved the championship match forward by two and a half hours, scheduling it for 11:00 a.m. local time, to reduce the impact of the intense heat.
Much of Europe is currently experiencing unusually high temperatures, with several regions facing record-breaking heat conditions.
Despite the weather changes, the tournament concluded successfully, although Osaka’s injury cast a shadow over the final ahead of Wimbledon.