Naomi Osaka has elected to skip Wimbledon just a few weeks after she withdrew from the French Open due to concerns about her mental health.
A representative for Osaka said in a statement Thursday that she will use the added break to spend time with friends and family. That spokesperson added that she would still compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics, which are set to begin in Tokyo next month.
Osaka became embroiled in a dispute with French Open tournament officials in late May after she announced her plan to skip post-match press conferences due to their negative effect on her mental health.
French Open officials then fined her and threatened her with expulsion after she followed through on her promise and skipped her post-match interviews after defeating Patricia Maria Tig in the first round.
Osaka dropped out of the tournament the following day, citing her quarrels with Roland Garros officials and her struggle with depression as reasons for her withdrawal.
Her exit from the French Open had substantial implications on the tournament's betting odds.
Osaka's departure from Wimbledon, too, has shifted futures days before the competition is scheduled to begin on June 28.
The top two favorites in the tournament have seen their odds drop amid the news. Ashleigh Barty's odds at BetMGM shortened from +600 to +550 while Serena Williams' moved from +700 to +650 Thursday afternoon.
Osaka had +700 odds to win Wimbledon before she dropped out. BetMGM confirmed that all wagers made on the world's second-ranked women's tennis player would be refunded if she doesn't play.
Below are the current futures odds for the tournament, which was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This will be the first Wimbledon without Osaka since 2016.
Wimbledon Odds Without Naomi Osaka
Odds from BetMGM as of Thursday afternoon
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ashleigh Barty | +550 |
| Serena Williams | +650 |
| Simona Halep | +800 |
| Bianca Andreescu | +800 |
| Petra Kvitova | +900 |
| Garbiñe Muguruza | +1000 |
| Iga Świątek | +1000 |
| Victoria Azarenka | +1200 |
| Karolina Pliskova | +1400 |
| Sofia Kenin | +1400 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | +1400 |
