Naomi Osaka's Australian Open run ends in heartbreak with abdominal injury

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Tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open ahead of her third-round match due to a left abdominal injury, ending her pursuit of her third title at the Grand Slam. 

Osaka, who 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 walks onto court for her second-round match against Sorana Cirstea at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

"I’ve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match," her statement posted to Instagram said. 

"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." 

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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 a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it," the 28-year-old tennis pro 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."

Osaka added that her body "changed quite a lot" after giving birth to her daughter, Shai, in 2023. During that time, she took a 15-month break away from competition before returning in 2024. 

Naomi Osaka walks into Rod Laver Arena for her first-round match against Antonia Ružić at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 20, 2026. (Joel