Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam winner and two-time Australian Open champion, has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open. She decided to pull out due to a nagging left abdominal injury. Tennis Australia confirmed the news, and the withdrawal gave Australian qualifier Madison Inglis a walkover straight into the Round of 16.
What did Naomi Osaka say about her withdrawal?
Naomi Osaka broke the news herself on Instagram, sharing her disappointment while explaining the tough call to step away.
"I have had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match," she wrote. “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.”
When did the injury flare up during the tournament?
The problem surfaced in her second-round match against Sorana Cirstea. Osaka fought hard to win 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, but needed a brief locker-room visit and a medical timeout early in the deciding set while leading 2-1.
After the match, she spoke candidly about the issue.
"It's kind of a recurring thing," Osaka said. "I guess if you look at my medical history, you can maybe do like a little guessing game."
“I think for me, I am just really glad that I kind of pushed through it and also played, like, really good tennis in the third set. I try to just leave the tournament site with that in mind for the next days.”
Has this injury troubled Naomi Osaka before in Australia?
At the 2025 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka retired in the third round against Belinda Bencic while dealing with the same abdominal discomfort. She also pulled out of the 2025 ASB Classic final in Auckland against Clara Tauson after winning the opening set.
The recurring nature of the injury has forced Osaka to prioritize recovery over pushing through pain.
How does Madison Inglis benefit from the walkover?
The withdrawal handed Madison Inglis her biggest career boost yet. The Australian qualifier has reached the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time. She has shown incredible grit, with four of her five matches (three qualifiers plus two main-draw wins) going the distance to three sets. She even saved two match points in her opening qualifier against Leyre Romero Gormaz.
Inglis will now await the winner of Iga Swiatek versus Anna Kalinskaya, setting up a thrilling next match on home soil with extra prize money and ranking points on the line.