Naomi Osaka Withdraws From Australian Open 2026 Before Third Round Clash Against Maddison Inglis

Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Australian Open hours before the third-round clash against Australian Maddison Inglis. Consequently, Inglis advanced to the fourth round with a walkover because of the withdrawal. Notably, Maddison Inglis became the first Australian since Ashleigh Barty to enter the round of 16.

Naomi Osaka, the two-time Australian Open winner, had beaten Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the second round, which ended in a frosty handshake between the two. Cirstea was reportedly annoyed by the way Osaka was pumping herself up in between the former's serves.

Hours before the third round, Osaka took to her Instagram story to announce her withdrawal from the Australian Open. The Japanese player hinted at having picked up an injury that cannot be ignored.

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Naomi Osaka Announced Her Withdrawal From The Australian Open

In her Instagram story, the player shared that it breaks her heart to withdraw from the Grand Slam tournament; however, this was something that she could not ignore and risk damage, as it could hamper her return to the court in the near future.

Osaka wrote, "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."

She further wrote, "Thanks for all the love and support...I’m so grateful everyone embraced me so much."

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Naomi Osaka Withdrew In Australian Open 2025

At the Australian Open 2025, Naomi Osaka had to retire in her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to an abdominal injury. Despite leading 5-2 at one point in the first set, which ultimately went to a tiebreaker that Bencic won, Osaka retired from the match due to discomfort in her abdominal area.