“It breaks my heart”: Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open as abdominal injury ends comeback run
Maddison Inglis benefited from the forfeit of Naomi Osaka on Saturday. She’ll play the winner of the match between Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 31 seed, and Pole Iga Swiatek, the second seed, in the next round
Naomi Osaka, Australian Open 2026
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has been forced to pull out of the 2026 Australian Open ahead of her third-round match against Maddison Inglis, citing a recurring left abdominal injury that failed to improve during her Saturday morning warm-up.
The 28-year-old Naomi Osaka officially announced her withdrawal on Saturday night, bringing an abrupt end to what had been her most promising Grand Slam run since returning from maternity leave.
Osaka, currently ranked No 16, was scheduled to face Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Rod Laver Arena but concluded that she could not risk further aggravating the “reoccurring” injury she first felt during her second-round battle. The withdrawal marks the second consecutive year Osaka’s Melbourne campaign has been halted by abdominal issues, having retired under similar circumstances in 2025.
“I’ve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match,” Osaka first shared via social media. “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.”
During a brief appearance before the media, Osaka explained that while she attempted to “push through it” with rest, the pain intensified during her practice session. “I definitely have to do more tests, and obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot. So this is something I have to be really cautious of,” she added.
Drama and fallout from the Cirstea “Fair Play” row
The injury news follows a highly contentious second-round victory over Sorana Cirstea, which was overshadowed by a “sportsmanship storm” at Margaret Court Arena ; but today’s event doesn’t seem related to it. The 35-year-old Cirstea, playing her final Australian Open before retirement, confronted Osaka at the net with an icy handshake and a verbal spray, reportedly telling the Japanese star, “You have been playing on the tour for so long, you have no idea what fair play is.” The friction stemmed from Osaka’s habit of yelling “come on!” to herself while the Romanian was between her first and second serves.
Addressing the polemic, Osaka admitted to being “confused” by the exchange but offered a public apology for her initial on-court reaction.
“I think the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. I don’t like disrespecting people. That’s not what I do,” Osaka noted. “When I’m pumping myself up, in my head I’m not like, ‘Okay, now I’m going to distract the other person.’ It’s purely for me.” While Cirstea complained to the umpire that the vocalizations constituted a hindrance, the official ruled that Osaka had not broken any rules as the shouts occurred outside of the service motion.
Maddison Inglis secures career-best walkover to the last sixteen
The withdrawal serves as a life-changing moment for the 28-year-old world No 168 Maddison Inglis. The Australian qualifier, who had already matched her career best by reaching the third round with gritty three-set wins over Laura Siegemund and Taylor Townsend, now moves into the round of 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Inglis becomes the first Australian qualifier to reach the second week in Melbourne since 1978.
While the local crowd was deprived of a prime-time showdown, Inglis now shifts her focus to a daunting fourth-round match against world No 2 Iga Swiatek. For Osaka, the focus shifts to a period of recovery and medical testing. Despite the heartbreak of the exit, the former world No 1 remains optimistic about her physical trajectory, noting that aside from the abdominal strain, her overall fitness felt “really healthy” throughout her two three-set matches this week. Osaka concludes her 2026 Melbourne run with gratitude, stating, “I enjoyed playing the tennis here… I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
