Osaka retires from Australian Open with injury as Bencic advances

Former world number one Naomi Osaka's return to Melbourne Park was cut short as an ongoing abdominal injury forced her retirement in the third round against Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic. The Swiss star advanced to the Round of 16 after winning the first set 7-6(3) before Osaka's withdrawal.

The two-time Australian Open champion had been managing the injury since the beginning of 2025, previously withdrawing from the Auckland final. Despite concerning MRI results, Osaka battled through challenging three-set victories against Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova in the opening rounds.

"It's not fantastic and I'm feeling not great, not bad. In the middle somewhere," Osaka told reporters. "It was a little hectic trying to manage it (during the tournament) because obviously my draw was quite tough. But we were also doing everything we could. I was going to therapy every day and into the night. So the days have been very long for me. Obviously after my last match it got way worse."

The match initially showcased glimpses of Osaka's championship form that earned her Melbourne titles in 2019 and 2021. After falling behind 1-0, she mounted an impressive comeback with powerful serving and aggressive baseline play to build a 5-2 lead. However, the physical strain became evident as Bencic's confidence grew, culminating in Osaka requiring medical attention before ultimately retiring after the tiebreak.

"I really feel for Naomi, I saw her struggling a little bit at the end of the set and obviously it's not the way you would like this match to end," Bencic said. "I thought it was a good match, so hopefully she'll be fine soon and she can play well for the rest of the season."

Bencic's Australian Open 2025 campaign continues as she faces American third seed Coco Gauff, who defeated Leylah Fernandez in straight sets, in a highly anticipated fourth-round clash.

SportsLigue