Tennis-Airline reunites Osaka with luggage in Cincinnati

(Reuters) - Naomi Osaka endured every traveller's nightmare when she arrived in Cincinnati to find her airline had lost her bags on Friday, jeopardising the four-time Grand Slam winner's participation at an upcoming tournament.

Thankfully for the Japanese 26-year-old, disaster was averted when United Airlines located her luggage.

"Lol @united lost my bags and if I don’t get them tonight or tomorrow I literally can’t play (in the Cincinnati Open)," Osaka, who is using the WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open as part of her preparations for the U.S. Open, posted on X.

United Airlines' official X account replied minutes later promising to help and wrote back again just over two hours later, saying the bags had been located.

"Please send us a DM so we can finalize the plan to reunite you with your baggage," they wrote.

The draw for Cincinnati Open is scheduled to take place on Saturday.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)