Naomi Osaka’s journey at the Australian Open came to an abrupt end when she retired from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to a recurring abdominal injury. The two-time Australian Open champion had been struggling with the injury since her match against Coco Gauff in the China Open last fall. Despite her best efforts to manage the injury, it flared up again during her second-round win over Karolina Muchova in Melbourne.
Osaka, who has a history of abdominal strains dating back to her teenage years, explained that the explosive nature of her serve contributes to the issue. She received treatment during the match but ultimately decided to withdraw after losing the first set in a tiebreak. The decision was a tough one for Osaka, who expressed her disappointment at having to end the match early.
Belinda Bencic, who advanced to the fourth round as a result, offered words of support for Osaka, writing “Get well soon, mama” on a courtside TV camera. Fans and fellow players alike are hopeful that Osaka will recover quickly and be able to compete in upcoming tournaments.
As Osaka focuses on her recovery, the tennis world eagerly awaits her return to the court. Her resilience and determination have always been admired, and many believe that she will come back stronger than ever.
Naomi Osaka in 2025
Now ranked no.51, Naomi played her last match on the 17th of January when she had to retire when playing against world no.294 Belinda Bencic in the 3rd round and the scoreline was 7-6(3) .
This season Naomi achieved an overall 6-2 record. Naomi Osaka’s best achievement of this season was getting to the final in Auckland.