Two-time champion Naomi Osaka pulls out of the Australian Open before her third-round match due to an abdominal injury.
TWO-TIME champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open with an abdominal injury.
The Japanese superstar announced her withdrawal just hours before her scheduled third-round clash against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.
“I’ve had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match,” the 16th seed posted on Instagram.
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She added that having to stop her tournament run “breaks my heart” but she could not risk further damage.
The four-time major champion later told media the abdominal issue was one she had suffered from “a couple of times before”.
Osaka said she played her previous match with pain and hoped rest would help, but the injury worsened during her warm-up.
The 28-year-old mother said she needs to see a doctor for more tests, noting her body changed after pregnancy.
Her departure ends a memorable campaign where her striking “jellyfish-inspired” outfit went viral in the first round.
Osaka was also involved in controversy during her second-round win over Sorana Cirstea.
Cirstea took issue with Osaka shouting between her serves, drawing criticism from tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport.
Osaka later apologised for being “disrespectful” during the incident. – AFP
