Two-Time Champion Forced to Withdraw From Melbourne Tournament
Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open due to a left abdominal injury, the tournament announced Saturday evening. The former world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion was scheduled to face Australian qualifier Madison Inglis in the third round at Rod Laver Arena.
The withdrawal marks a dramatic end to what had been one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines. Osaka’s Australian Open run had captivated audiences following her haute couture entrance and a contentious second-round victory over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
Injury Sustained During Second-Round Victory
Osaka sustained the abdominal injury during her three-set win over Cirstea on Thursday, where she defeated the veteran 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. During that match, she took a medical timeout while leading 2-1 in the deciding set and briefly retreated to the locker room.
In her post-match press conference following the Cirstea victory, Osaka hinted at a recurring injury concern. “I guess if you look at my medical history, you can maybe do like a little guessing game,” she said.
“I’ve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match,” Osaka posted to social media Saturday evening. “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.”
Inglis Advances to Fourth Round
Madison Inglis, the Australian qualifier, advances to the fourth round via walkover. The 22-year-old has delivered a remarkable performance at the Australian Open, advancing through three qualifying rounds before winning two main-draw matches. Of her five matches at the tournament, four have gone to three sets, and she saved two match points in her first qualifier against Leyre Romero Gormaz.
Inglis will now face either No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek or Anna Kalinskaya in the fourth round and is guaranteed $480,000 in prize money by reaching this stage.
Controversial Moments Preceding Withdrawal
Osaka’s tournament had been marked by controversy following her victory over Cirstea. The Romanian player gave Osaka a frosty handshake at net and later accused her of poor sportsmanship for yelling “Come on!” between serves during the third set.
Osaka responded by saying no one had previously complained about her on-court celebration and later apologized for her own comments during the on-court interview. “No one’s ever complained about it before,” she said. “The umpire didn’t tell me I was wrong. The umpire said I was fine.”
Impact on Tournament
The Naomi Osaka Australian Open withdrawal removes one of the tournament’s marquee storylines as the event enters its final rounds. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, had been one of the tournament’s most compelling narratives heading into the weekend.
