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Naomi Osaka suffers brutal new blow after US Open heartbreak

Naomi Osaka, pictured here after losing at the US Open.
Naomi Osaka suffered more heartbreak at the US Open. Image: US Open/Getty

Naomi Osaka has fallen further in the WTA rankings after her shock third-round loss at the US Open.

Emma Raducanu was the big winner when the WTA updated its rankings on Monday after her extraordinary triumph at Flushing Meadows.

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The British teenager gained a remarkable 127 spots in the world rankings after becoming the first qualifier to win a grand slam in the Open era.

The 18-year-old has rocketed to World No.23 after going into the US Open as World No.150.

Ash Barty and Aryna Sabalenka kept their spots as World No.1 and No.2, however the news isn't so great for Osaka.

The 2018 and 2020 US Open champion has slid from World No.3 to No.5 after losing in the third round to runner-up Leylah Fernandez.

Karolina Pliskova is now World No.3, while Elina Svitolina is the new No.4 after each moved up a spot by reaching the quarter-finals in New York.

For Osaka, the rankings dip continues a tumultuous time for the four-time grand slam champion.

The Japanese star had been inching closer to Barty's No.1 spot earlier in the year, however she's been affected by mental health issues in the back half of 2021.

Emma Raducanu, pictured here after winning the US Open.
Emma Raducanu has jumped from 150 to 23rd in the world rankings. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)

Naomi Osaka considering taking break from tennis

The 23-year-old withdrew from the French Open after the first round amid a row over her attendance at press conferences.

She then skipped Wimbledon and lost in the second round at her home Olympics in Tokyo, before announcing her plans to step away from tennis for a while after the US Open.

"I feel like for me recently, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief," she told reporters in a tearful press conference.

"And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal."

"Basically, I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match.

"I think I'm going to take a break from playing for a while."

Osaka has been named on the entry list for the upcoming event in Indian Wells, but it remains to be seen whether or not she plays.

Raducanu began the year ranked 345th, rose to 179th in July after reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in her grand slam debut and arrived at Flushing Meadows at 150th.

She won all 20 sets she played across 10 victories - three in qualifying and seven in the main draw - to become the youngest woman to win a major championship since a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004.

She beat 19-year-old Canadian Fernandez in the final, who has also made a big jump in the rankings from 73rd to a career-best 28th.

WTA rankings (as at September 13)

  1. Ash Barty - 10,075 points

  2. Aryna Sabalenka - 7720

  3. Karolina Pliskova - 5315

  4. Elina Svitolina - 4860

  5. Naomi Osaka - 4796

  6. Sofia Kenin - 4692

  7. Barbora Krejcikova - 4668

  8. Iga Swiatek - 4571

  9. Garbine Muguruza - 4380

  10. Petra Kvitova - 4060

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23. Emma Raducanu - 2571

28. Leylah Fernandez - 2254

Readers seeking support and information can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

with agencies

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