Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from 2025 Australian Open following her women’s singles match against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic on January 17, 2025, in Melbourne.
Naomi Osaka, a two-time champion at this tournament, unfortunately, had to leave the tournament due to an injury while competing in the third round against Bencic.
She sought treatment for abdominal discomfort while leading 6-5 in the first set, which ultimately ended in a tiebreak loss to her Swiss opponent. After a brief discussion, she left the court, concluding her match early.
Leading up to this Grand Slam, Osaka faced challenges, including an abdominal injury that forced her to retire from her final match in Auckland.
Despite these setbacks, she expressed a positive mindset before the tournament began, sharing, “I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I’m going to play my match.”
During her time in Melbourne, Osaka showcased her talent and determination by reaching the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since welcoming her daughter, Shai. She achieved notable victories over Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova, although both matches were tightly contested.
In the match against Bencic, where Osaka initially led 5-2 in the first set, her discomfort began to affect her performance. Despite this, Bencic, the Tokyo Olympic champion, praised Osaka’s potential, expressing disappointment over the match’s outcome and wishing for her early recovery.
“It’s not the way you want this match to end. I thought it was getting to be a good match,” Bencic remarked.
Looking ahead, Bencic will be preparing to face either American third seed Coco Gauff or Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the fourth round, while Osaka can focus on her recovery and future tournaments.
