Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open campaign came to an abrupt end on Saturday after the former world No 1 withdrew ahead of her scheduled third-round appearance in Melbourne, citing an abdominal injury connected to physical changes following pregnancy.
The decision was communicated only hours before Osaka was due to face Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis, dramatically reshaping the tournament draw. Inglis advanced directly into the fourth round, where she will meet second seed Iga Swiatek.
The late withdrawal arrived on a day already disrupted by extreme heat, with tournament organisers enforcing heat policies that closed stadium roofs and halted play on outdoor courts across Melbourne Park.
Osaka, a two-time champion at the season-opening major, explained that the injury was not new but had worsened despite rest between matches. She also revealed that medical assessments are still pending.
“I thought I could push through it. I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it, but I warmed up, and it got a lot worse. I definitely have to do more tests and coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot. So this is something I have to be really cautious of,” Osaka said.
Having to stop here breaks my heart: Osaka
The 28-year-old has previously struggled with abdominal issues and was forced to retire at the same tournament last year during her third-round match against Belinda Bencic. Despite the setback, Osaka remains among a small group of mothers currently ranked inside the WTA top 20.
Osaka confirmed her withdrawal on Instagram at 8pm local time, after play had already begun on Rod Laver Arena. She had been scheduled to follow the high-profile evening match between Novak Djokovic and Botic van de Zandschulp, with premium tickets sold for the session.
“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart but I can’t risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court. And thank you to my whole team for always having my back and the tournament organisers for being so kind,” she added.
