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Lars Hamer

Former world No 1 and four-time grand-slam tournament winner Naomi Osaka will play in the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open this month, organisers confirmed on Tuesday.
Japan’s Osaka joins a roster featuring another former world No 1 in Simona Halep, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, British No 1 Katie Boulter and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Osaka’s confirmation for the Hong Kong event at Victoria Park comes two weeks after she was forced to retire during her round-of-16 tie at the China Open in Beijing because of a back injury.
The current world No 58 had made a promising start to her Asian swing, winning three matches in Beijing to set up a tie against the United States’ Coco Gauff on October 1.

Osaka took the first set against eventual champion Gauff before being forced off court with a lower back problem after losing the second.
The injury also forced the 26-year-old to pull out of her hometown tournament, the Kinoshita Group Japan Open in Osaka, which started on Monday, and last week’s Wuhan Open.
Osaka has since said that she plans to take part in the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis in Tokyo next week if she is given the green light by her doctor, before attention turns to Hong Kong.
“It was worse than what I thought (I just have a high pain tolerance lol),” Osaka said of her injury on Instagram. “And I’m trying my best to potentially play Tokyo, but I’m still waiting to see what the doctor says.”
The Hong Kong Open, which runs from October 26 to November 3, will also bring to town a selection of mainland Chinese players, including Paris Olympics mixed doubles silver medallist Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue and Wang Xiyu.
It was also confirmed on Tuesday that joining Osaka in signing up for the tournament were Russian duo Diana Shnaider and Anastasia Potapova.
Rising star Shnaider, the youngest player currently ranked in the world’s top 16, won silver in the women’s doubles at the Paris Games alongside Mirra Andreeva. Potapova, ranked No 38, is twice a WTA singles title winner.
Hong Kong players Eudice Chong and Cody Wong Hong-Yi will also feature among the players competing for a total prize purse worth US$250,000.
The women’s event will be followed at the turn of the year by Hong Kong’s men’s tournament, also a 250-level event, which forms the final part in a three-tournament Hong Kong Tennis Series. The first instalment was the lower-tier Prudential Hong Kong Tennis 125 tournament, held at Victoria Park this month.


Li Na says players ‘loved’ Hong Kong Open, calls for upgrade on Victoria Park arena

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open: Shnaider blitzes Boulter to claim title in one-sided final

Hong Kong Open: Shnaider dumps defending champ Fernandez out, to face Boulter in final

Hong Kong Open: China’s Yuan ends Kenin’s late-season surge, Fernandez into final four

WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Naomi Osaka confirmed to play at star-studded Hong Kong Tennis Open

Naomi Osaka serves at the China Open in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Naomi Osaka (left) leaves the court with Coco Gauff after retiring injured in Beijing. Photo: AP

Zheng Qinwen beaten in hometown Wuhan Open final after Sinner halts Djokovic in Shanghai

Zheng Qinwen in action during her final against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka. Photo: Reuters

Aryna Sabalenka celebrates victory as she overcomes China’s Zheng Qinwen. Photo: Reuters

Jannik Sinner poses with the Shanghai Masters trophy after winning Sunday’s final. Photo: EPA-EFE

China Open: Zheng Qinwen loses in semis after Alcaraz silences Shang in Shanghai Masters

Zheng Qinwen takes a tumble during her semi-final with Karolina Muchova. Photo: Reuters

Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova celebrates winning her semi-final against Zheng Qinwen. Photo: Reuters

Jerry Shang hits a return to Carlos Alcaraz during their match at the Shanghai Masters. Photo: AFP

Sport

Tennis

She will join Emma Raducanu, Simona Halep, Leylah Fernandez and Katie Boulter at Hong Kong event in late October


She will join Emma Raducanu, Simona Halep, Leylah Fernandez and Katie Boulter at Hong Kong event in late October.


Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open