Although yokozuna Hakuho has pronounced himself fit enough to fight, the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament swings into action on Sunday missing two of its elite wrestlers.
Hakuho is set to compete despite missing March's tourney — won by fellow Mongolian yokozuna Kakuryu — due to a toe injury, but the yokozuna ranks will be without Kisenosato. The 31-year-old will sit out the tournament due to his inability to rehab properly from an injury he suffered over a year ago.
Kisenosato's stablemate, ozeki Takayasu, will be absent on the first day but hopes to get into the fray before it ends. Takayasu is coming off back-to-back 12-3 records, but he would forfeit his prestigious ozeki ranking should he compete and fail to get eight wins in two straight grand tournaments. Missing the start of the tournament would make eight wins a more difficult task.