A lingering injury forced Osaka out of her third-round match on Friday.
Dan Lyons | Jan 17, 2025
Naomi Osaka's run to a third Australian Open title was cut short on Friday, as a lingering injury caused her to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic.
Osaka, whose last Grand Slam win came in Melbourne in 2021, hadn't reached the third round of a major since '22, taking time off for mental health as well as the birth of her daughter in '23.
A lingering abdominal injury first sidelined her in October at a Beijing tournament match against Coco Gauff. She reached the finals of the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand earlier this month, but retired during her match against Clara Tauson.
Osaka says abdominal injuries are nothing new.
"I kind of have a history of it, since I was a teenager. At least once a year, I'd get an ab strain. For me, I want to say it's more the way my serve is—it's quite explosive," Osaka said, per ESPN. "Unfortunately, it carried on over to the beginning of this season."
Bencic had a classy message for her opponent after advancing, signing, "Get well soon mama" with a heart on the camera.
Osaka's injury flared up during the second round win over Karolina Muchova, but she still pressed on to attempt to advance in the tournament.
"It was, I guess, a little inevitable, but I think the competitor in me just wanted to see it through to the end," Osaka said.
Her goal now is to recover in time for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March.
Meanwhile, Bencic advances to face Gauff, who defeated Leylah Fernandez in straight sets on Friday, in the fourth round.