Australian Open 2025: Injury Forces Naomi Osaka Out of

Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka was forced to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to injury on Friday at Melbourne Park.

Osaka, who had shown signs of abdominal discomfort earlier in the tournament, required medical attention at 6-5 in the first set. Despite her efforts, she lost the set in a tiebreak and conceded the match shortly after, shaking hands and waving to fans before leaving the court.

Osaka’s preparations for the year’s first Grand Slam were hindered by an abdominal injury that forced her to retire from the final in Auckland earlier this month. Additionally, the former world number one recently announced her split from rapper Cordae, the father of her daughter, Shai.

Despite these setbacks, Osaka entered the tournament optimistic.

“I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I’m going to play my match,” Osaka had said before the tournament began.

Her determination was evident as she claimed impressive victories over Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova in the earlier rounds. However, both matches stretched to three sets, seemingly exacerbating her physical struggles.

In Friday’s match, Osaka initially led 5-2 in the first set, showcasing glimpses of her dominant form. However, her movement and serve began to falter, allowing Bencic to level the score and push the set to a tiebreak, which the Swiss player won 7-3. Osaka retired before the start of the second set.

Bencic, the reigning Tokyo Olympic champion, expressed sympathy for her opponent.

“It’s not the way you want this match to end. I thought it was getting to be a good match,” said Bencic. “Hopefully, she will be fine soon and can play well for the rest of this year.”

Bencic advances to the fourth round, where she will face either American third seed Coco Gauff or Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

For Osaka, who reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since becoming a mother, the focus will now shift to recovery and building momentum for the rest of the season. Fans will undoubtedly hope to see the four-time Grand Slam champion return to her best form soon.