Tatsunami stablemaster (photographed in March 2026)
Yokozuna Asanoyama (26, Tatsunami stable) was ruled out of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament from the second day onward. He sustained an injury during his bout on the opening day against Takayasu and submitted a medical certificate diagnosing a “right hamstring strain.”
His stablemaster, former komusubi Asanowaka (Tatsunami), answered questions from the media at Ryogoku Kokugikan, detailing the situation. The main Q&A is as follows.
– What is the Yokozuna’s condition?
“He’s limping, so it’s not possible for him to compete. This wasn’t something the Yokozuna himself said—I made the decision. He had an MRI this morning, and we’ll take a look at the results to see how the tear is. When the attending doctor saw him yesterday, it seemed like it wasn’t too deep. It’s a muscle tear.”
– How did the Yokozuna react?
“He had a disappointed look on his face. He was in good form otherwise.”
– The thigh is crucial for sumo bouts.
“It wasn’t a situation where he could just go out and compete once it healed a little. I feel sorry for the Sumo Association and the fans.”
– The injury happened during the match. What caused it?
“It was a slightly careless tachiai. Looking at the bout, that’s the impression I get.”
– At what point in the match did he get injured?
“When he stretched out the first time, he got pushed hard, and then again when his head was pressed down near the end. He stretched out twice, as I’ve been told.”
