Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open due to abdominal injury
What's the story
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Australian Open winner, has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open due to a left abdominal injury. The news was confirmed by Tennis Australia and later by Osaka herself on social media. Her withdrawal means that Australian qualifier Madison Inglis has advanced to the Round of 16 without playing.
Injury details
Osaka's injury: A recurring issue
Osaka revealed that the abdominal injury is something she has dealt with before. "It's an injury I've had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it," she said. Despite her efforts to manage the pain before today's match, the situation worsened during warm-up. "I definitely have to do more tests," Osaka added, noting how her body has changed after pregnancy.
Match recap
Osaka's journey in the tournament
In her last match against Sorana Cirstea, Osaka won in three sets: 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. After forcing a third set, Osaka took a brief break before calling for medical assistance while trailing in the final set. This isn't the first time Osaka has had to retire due to this injury. At the 2025 Australian Open, she retired mid-match against Belinda Bencic due to an abdominal injury despite leading at one point.
Entrance impact
Osaka's unique entrance and future plans
Osaka made a splash at the tournament with her unique grand entrance for her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic. She wore an outfit featuring a veil, parasol, and a huge hat with butterflies on it. Despite the injury woes, she expressed how much she enjoyed playing at this tournament: "I played two three-set matches, and I felt really physically healthy -- Not my ab, but just fitness-wise."
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Osaka's withdrawal sees Inglis attain this feat
Following Osaka's withdrawal, Inglis is the first Australian to reach the women's singles Round of 16 at the Australian Open since Ashleigh Barty in 2022, as per Opta.
Twitter Post
Wish!
Wishing you a speedy recovery, Naomi 🫶#AO26 pic.twitter.com/cERSjnbsm6
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2026