Naomi Osaka ’s return to Grand Slam competition ended prematurely on Friday, as the two-time Australian Open champion was forced to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to a strained abdominal muscle. Osaka had dropped the opening set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3), before informing the chair umpire she could no longer continue.

The Spaniard, who defeated her Ukrainian rival in the 3rd round of Melbourne, spoke about the moment in which she (maybe) railed against her boyfriend

In her last Grand Slam quarterfinal, the Spaniard fell apart in New York. She took the lessons to Gauff in Melbourne, and won.

Naomi Osaka is out of the Australian Open after she was forced to retire injured from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic.

Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff roll to Australian Open's 4th round. Naomi Osaka retires due to injury and Jessica Pegula was upset in the third round.

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned from maternity leave last year and lost in the first or second round of all four major tournaments. The 27-year-old Japan native has not won any event on the WTA Tour since capturing her second Australian Open title to start 2021.

Two-time defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka extended a few impressive streaks on Friday while becoming one of the first players to advance to the fourth round of the year's opening Grand Slam tournament.

A place in the second week of the Australian Open is on the line Friday in Melbourne (Thursday night, U.S.) for a number of star players including Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.

Naomi Osaka exited the Australian Open the same way she bowed out of her previous two events -- retiring midmatch due to injury. The 27-year-old Japanese star pulled out of her third-round match against Switzerland's Belinda Bencic after losing the first set 7-6 (3) on Friday in Melbourne, Australia.

Later Friday, an apparent abdominal injury that forced Naomi Osaka to retire with a ... Also advancing Friday were 11th-seeded Paula Badosa, who beat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, and 18th-seeded ...

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka all advanced, while two-time champion Naomi Osaka retired ... on to face 11th seed Paula Badosa, with both women ...

Madison Keys may have won the title at the 2025 Australian Open but there were a myriad of players leaving Melbourne who can leave with their heads held high.