Naomi Osaka, the 16th seed at the Australian Open, has withdrawn from the tournament just before her scheduled third-round match against Maddison Inglis. Osaka cited the need to address a physical issue that arose after her previous match as the reason for her withdrawal, expressing disappointment at having to halt her run at the tournament. She thanked her supporters and team for their backing.
Speaking to Tennis Australia, Osaka revealed that the injury she experienced had occurred before and that she attempted to play through it but found it worsened during warm-ups. She acknowledged the changes in her body post-pregnancy and emphasized the importance of caution in managing her health.
Osaka’s recent matches included a victory against Sorana Cirstea and a withdrawal from her last two tournaments due to injuries. She had a challenging start to the year, representing Japan at the United Cup in Perth and dealing with health issues that affected her performance on the court.
Despite her setbacks, Osaka expressed optimism about her future matches and the Australian Open, emphasizing the need to focus on one game at a time.