World number one Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Italian Open quarterfinals on Friday with a right thumb injury, casting doubts over her participation in this month's French Open.
Roger Federer has also pulled out of his quarterfinal clash against Stefanos Tsitsipas due to an injury in his right leg, organisers said.
The 21-year-old Japanese was scheduled to face sixth seed Kiki Bertens after coming through two matches on Thursday in the rain-affected tournament but said she was forced to withdraw due to pain and swelling at the base of her thumb.
“I woke up this morning and couldn't really move my thumb,” Osaka told reporters. “I tried to practise and grip my racket but I couldn't, and I kept feeling this pain when I tried to move my hand in different directions.
“Right now I'm... in between sad and disappointed because I really wanted to play my match today. For me, it was sort of a test to play against Kiki because she's playing really well and I wanted to see how well I could do today.
“I didn't feel anything yesterday. That's why I'm kind of confused right now because I literally woke up in the morning and couldn't move my thumb. So I was like, maybe I slept on it and maybe it will go away, but it didn't.”
An abdominal injury had forced Osaka to pull out ahead of her semi-final clash in Stuttgart last month before she was beaten by Belinda Bencic in the Madrid Open quarter-finals.
“I would describe (my clay season) as rocky,” Osaka added.
“But I can't necessarily say it's been ups and downs because if I think about it, it's definitely been going up. Every match I've played I've learned a lot. I've tried to take what I've learned into the next match and I think I've done that well.”
Following her U.S. Open and Australian triumphs, Osaka is chasing a third straight Grand Slam trophy at the French Open.
Leg injury forces Federer out
The 37-year-old Swiss, who was making a return to the European clay court season after two years away, won back-to-back matches against Joao Sousa and Borna Coric to reach the quarterfinals on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, King Roger had to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury to his right leg,” the tournament organisers wrote on Twitter.
“We wish him a fast recovery. Thank you for the incredible emotions.”
The injury casts doubts over his preparations for this months French Open, with only five matches on clay under his belt heading into the second Grand Slam of the year.
Following his quarter-final exit at the Australian Open, the 20-times Grand Slam champion won his 100th career singles title in Dubai and added another crown in Miami.
Federer, bidding for only the second French Open title of his career, will look to regain fitness ahead of the tournament starting in Paris on May 26.
