Naomi Osaka shockingly announced her withdrawal from the Australian Open to address a fitness issue. The Japanese, who won the tournament twice, was set to take on Maddison Inglis in the third round.
Naomi Osaka’s Shock Australian Open Withdrawal
Osaka has made headlines at this year’s Australian Open with her unique outfit and entry in her opening match against Antonia Ružić and her controversial handshake against Sorana Cîrstea. However, her run has been halted due to her sudden withdrawal just hours before her match against Inglis.
“I’ve had to make the difficult decision 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 but I can’t risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court. Thanks for all the love and support,” Osaka’s statement read, as shared by the Australian Open.
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The former World No. 1′ withdrawal means that she is yet to appear in the second week of the Australian Open since her 2021 title triumph. Inglis, thus advances to the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles event for the first time in her career. Here, she will take on either second seed Iga Świątek or 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya.
Osaka now has three wins out of four matches so far in the 2026 season. It’s yet to be seen when the 28-year-old will resume tennis action.
