The tennis world was abuzz this week as Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka, fresh off their electrifying final at the National Bank Open in Montreal, made headlines again—but this time, for their unexpected withdrawals from the Cincinnati Open. The news, announced on August 8, 2025, just hours after their grueling showdown, sent ripples through the women’s tour and left fans wondering how this might shape the upcoming US Open.
Mboko, the 18-year-old Canadian sensation, capped an extraordinary run in Montreal by capturing her first WTA 1000 title, defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a match that had the packed crowd on the edge of their seats. Yet even as she hoisted the trophy, there were hints that all was not well. Mboko had suffered a fall in her semifinal victory over Elena Rybakina, leaving her left wrist swollen and in need of immediate medical attention. “I woke up this morning, and I actually had my wrist a little bit swollen from (Wednesday’s) fall,” Mboko revealed after the final. “We quickly went to the hospital for an MRI and an X-ray before I came to the courts to practice.”
The scans fortunately showed no major damage, but caution prevailed. With the Cincinnati Open looming just two days later, Mboko and her team decided not to risk further injury. “I’m not planning on playing Cincinnati at the moment. I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now,” she told reporters, echoing the sentiments of many young athletes learning to balance ambition with long-term health. “It’s just very close and sudden for me to go there and play again in, like, two days. I think I’m just going to sit out on that one and prepare for the upcoming tournaments.”
Osaka, meanwhile, cited a ‘schedule change’ for her decision to withdraw. The Japanese star, who has been on a comeback trail since returning from maternity leave in 2024, played seven matches in Montreal—her first 1000-level final since 2022. While she was less definitive about her withdrawal immediately after the final, Osaka ultimately joined Mboko in stepping aside. “It’s going to be interesting to see, yeah, what my next match is and how I’m going to play,” Osaka mused, leaving the door open for speculation about her US Open preparation. Tournament officials in Cincinnati confirmed her withdrawal, noting the official reason as a change in schedule.
The timing of their exits was shaped in part by the evolving structure of the tennis calendar. Both the Canadian and Cincinnati events have expanded to 12-day formats, causing their later rounds to overlap. This meant that, despite their deep runs in Montreal, both Mboko and Osaka would have had to begin play in Cincinnati almost immediately, with little time to recover. To accommodate such scenarios, the WTA grants “performance byes” into the second round for those reaching the finals of the previous week’s tournament. Yet, even with those byes, the turnaround proved too tight for the finalists.
Their withdrawals triggered a flurry of changes in the Cincinnati draw. Four lucky losers from the qualifying rounds were slotted into the main draw, with two new first-round matches added to Friday’s schedule. Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and China’s Yuan Yue replaced Mboko and her performance bye, with the winner set to face No. 14 seed Diana Shnaider. For Osaka’s spot, Solana Sierra of Argentina and Iva Jovic of the United States stepped in, vying for the right to meet No. 20 seed Linda Noskova.
These changes not only provided unexpected opportunities for the lucky losers but also reshuffled the competitive landscape of the Cincinnati Open, the last major tune-up before the US Open. It’s a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in professional tennis, where one player’s misfortune can become another’s big break.
Mboko’s withdrawal, while disappointing for fans eager to see her momentum continue, comes at a pivotal moment in her young career. Her triumph in Montreal propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 24, making her the highest-ranked Canadian woman and guaranteeing her a seed at a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open. That’s a meteoric rise for a player who started the year outside the top 300. The decision to rest her wrist, while cautious, may prove wise as she prepares for the rigors of New York’s hard courts.
Osaka, now ranked No. 25, is also riding a wave of renewed confidence. Her run to the Montreal final marked her best result since returning to the tour, and she’s hoping for a wild card into the US Open mixed doubles, which begins August 19. The singles main draw kicks off August 24, and Osaka remains a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, last lifting the trophy in 2020. Her withdrawal from Cincinnati is likely a strategic move to ensure she’s in peak condition for a tournament that’s brought her some of her greatest successes.
The broader context of these withdrawals can’t be ignored. The expansion of the North American summer swing has led to tighter schedules and increased physical demands. Several top players, both men and women, have chosen to skip one event in favor of the other, weighing rest against the need for match play. For Mboko and Osaka, the decision to withdraw was shaped as much by circumstance as by personal health. Their choices underscore a growing trend among elite athletes: prioritizing longevity and major championships over short-term gains.
The ripple effects are being felt throughout the tour. With two marquee names out of the Cincinnati Open, the door is open for new faces to make a splash. The lucky losers who’ve been thrust into the spotlight now have a shot at career-defining wins, while fans and pundits alike will be watching closely to see who can seize the moment.
As the tennis world turns its attention to the US Open, the stage is set for a fascinating fortnight. Mboko, now a seeded player at a Grand Slam for the first time, will look to build on her breakout summer. Osaka, ever the wildcard, remains a formidable presence on hard courts. Both have shown they can capture the imagination of fans and the tennis establishment alike.
For now, the spotlight shifts to Cincinnati, where opportunity knocks for the next wave of contenders. But all eyes will soon return to New York, where Mboko and Osaka are poised to make their mark on tennis’s biggest stage. Their withdrawals may have left a temporary void in Ohio, but the anticipation for what’s to come in late August has never been higher.
