In a surprising turn of events, Naomi Osaka has decided to withdraw from the Australian Open before her anticipated third-round match against Australia’s own Maddison Inglis. This decision comes after a tournament that has been marked by not only her distinctive fashion choices but also some notable tensions on the court.
Osaka took to social media to share her news, choosing not to specify the exact nature of her injury. In her Instagram post, she expressed her disappointment, stating that she needed to step back "to address something my body needs attention for after my last match." She conveyed her heartbreak by saying, “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.”
Later, during remarks shared by the tournament, Osaka revealed that she was dealing with an issue related to her left abdomen. "It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it," she explained. Despite playing her previous match with some discomfort, she had hoped that taking a break would allow her to compete. However, she noted that during her warm-up session, the pain intensified significantly.
At 28 years old and a four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka now faces the necessity of further medical evaluations to determine the best course of action for her recovery. She reflected on her recent journey, saying, "Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot. So this is something I have to be really cautious of."
Osaka welcomed her daughter, Shai, in July 2023, which led to a 15-month hiatus from professional tennis. She made her return to competitive play in 2024, achieving a remarkable comeback by reaching the semifinals of a major tournament for the first time at the previous year’s U.S. Open.
“I'm just grateful to be otherwise very healthy,” Osaka stated hopefully, adding, “and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
Earlier in the tournament, Osaka's dramatic entrance captured widespread attention. She made a splash in her first-round match donning a wide-brimmed hat, a veil, and carrying a white parasol—an ensemble that she collaborated on with her clothing partner, Nike.
In the second round, Osaka faced off against Sorana Cirstea, overcoming her in a match filled with tension, ending with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. The aftermath of the match was somewhat contentious, as the two players exchanged minimal pleasantries, with Cirstea noticeably avoiding eye contact with Osaka. When they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka inquired about the lack of a handshake, to which Cirstea responded directly, expressing her annoyance over Osaka’s vocal encouragements during the match.
"Apparently a lot of 'C'mons' that she was angry about," Osaka remarked, brushing it off by saying, "but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it."
Osaka has previously clinched the Australian Open titles in 2019 and 2021, along with two U.S. Open victories, one against the legendary Serena Williams in the final in 2018 and again in 2020. For this tournament, she was seeded 16th and was scheduled to battle Inglis, who ranks No. 168, in a night match at Rod Laver Arena.
Following Osaka's withdrawal, Inglis will now face No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek. Later that day, Świątek secured her place in the next round with a victory over No. 31 Anna Kalinskaya, winning 6-1, 1-6, 6-1. During an on-court interview afterward, when informed of Osaka's exit, Świątek expressed concern, saying, "Hopefully Naomi is well. She was playing great." She also shared her excitement about advancing to the fourth round, acknowledging the crowd's sentiments, "Hopefully you’re not going to be so harsh for me if I’m playing an Australian!"
