Naomi Osaka Pulls Out From Australian Open Ahead Of Third-Round Match For 'Abdominal Issue'

Former world number one Naomi Osaka pulled out from the Australian Open before her third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Saturday (January 24, 2026), ending her campaign prematurely.

The two-time Australian Open champion announced the news on social media without divulging her injury, posting on Instagram stories that she had to withdraw “to address something my body needs attention for after my last match.”

“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart," Osaka posted, “but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”

In comments later published by the tournament, Osaka said she had a left abdominal issue. “It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”

The 28-year-old four-time major winner said she'd need more tests before deciding on long-term treatment. “Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot,” she said. “So this is something I have to be really cautious of."

Osaka had a daughter, Shai, in July 2023 during a 15-month break from the tour. She returned to competition in 2024 and made it back to the semifinals of a major for the first time at last year's U.S. Open.

“I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy," she said, "and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”

Osaka's grand entrance to the tournament earlier in the week went viral, when she walked onto the court for her first-round match wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol.

In the second round, Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena that ended acrimoniously. The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.