Muchova wins Bad Homburg title after Osaka retires injured

BAD HOMBURG: Karolina Muchova won the Bad Homburg grass-court title on Saturday after Naomi Osaka was forced to retire with an ankle injury in the final.

The Czech fourth seed was playing the sixth-seeded Japanese in Osaka’s first career final on grass. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, appeared troubled early in the match and fell 6-1 in the opening set after taking a short treatment break when she had lost the first three games.

Osaka tried to continue but was clearly struggling. She managed just one game in the first set after returning from treatment, producing a back-spinning drop shot to get on the board. After dropping the opening game of the second set on Muchova’s serve, she spoke to her coach about the injury and then informed the umpire that she could not continue.

Speaking on court after the match, Osaka apologised to spectators and congratulated her opponent.