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Tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open before her third round match due to a left abdominal injury, ending her quest for her third Grand Slam title.
Osaka, who has already won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, took to social media to announce her decision. She did not immediately provide details on the nature of her injury.
Naomi Osaka enters the court for her second round match against Sorana Cirstea at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, January 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
“I had to make the difficult decision to step down to address something my body needs attention after my last match,” read his statement posted to Instagram. “I was so excited to continue and this race meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart, but I can’t risk causing more damage to be able to get back on the field.”
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In a statement later provided by the tournament, Osaka said it was a left abdominal injury.
“It’s an injury I’ve had several times before and I thought I could get through it,” said the 28-year-old professional tennis player. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up and it got worse.”
Osaka added that her body “changed a lot” after giving birth to her daughter, Shai, in 2023. During that time, she took a 15-month break from competition before returning in 2024.
Naomi Osaka walks to Rod Laver Arena for her first round match against Antonia Ruzic at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia on January 20, 2026. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)
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“I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy,” she said, “and hopefully I can play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
Although cut short, Osaka’s participation in the Australian Open was highlighted by her fashion choices and a tense interaction with opponent Sorana Cirstea in the second round.
Cirstea appeared to take issue with Osaka’s attempts to motivate herself between points, prompting the four-time Grand Slam champion to make a joke about Cirstea after her 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Naomi Osaka reacts after defeating Sorana Cirstea during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, January 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
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“Apparently there was a lot of ‘come on’ that made her angry, but it didn’t matter,” Osaka said in an on-court interview. “I mean, I tried to play well, I did my best. She’s a great player. I think it was her last Australian Open, so, OK, sorry, she was angry about that.”
Osaka later apologized, stating that she doesn’t like “disrespecting people. That’s not what I do.”
In addition to her two Australian Open titles, Osaka won the US Open in 2018 and 2020.
