Osaka Withdraws from Australian Open; Inglis Advances to Round of 16
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open due to a recurring left abdominal injury. The sudden exit propels Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis directly into the Round of 16, where she is set to face World No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
“My Body Changed Quite a Lot”
The withdrawal came just hours before Osaka was scheduled to take the court. While the two-time Australian Open champion had hoped to recover after a grueling second-round match, a pre-match warm-up confirmed she could not compete.
“It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” Osaka said in a statement via Tennis Australia. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it, but I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”
Osaka, who returned to the tour recently after maternity leave, emphasized the need for caution regarding her physical health. “I definitely have to do more tests, and obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot. So this is something I have to be really cautious of.”
A Recurring Struggle
The injury is unfortunately familiar territory for the former World No. 1. During her recent three-set victory against Sorana Cirstea (6-3, 4-6, 6-2), Osaka took a medical timeout while up 2-1 in the decider. “It’s kind of a reoccurring thing,” she admitted to the press on Thursday. “I guess if you look at my medical history, you can maybe do like a little guessing game.”
Recent history confirms a troubling pattern with abdominal issues:
- 2025 Australian Open: Osaka retired in the third round against Belinda Bencic after losing a first-set tiebreak.
- 2025 ASB Classic (Auckland): Just weeks prior to the 2025 AO, she retired in the final against Clara Tauson after winning the first set.
Fashion & Fitness Highlights
Despite the abrupt end to her campaign, Osaka’s 2026 run will be remembered for its flair and her otherwise strong physical form. She captured global attention with an iconic entrance ahead of her opening match against Antonia Ruzic, wearing a “jellyfish-inspired” outfit complete with a veil, parasol, and butterfly-emblazoned hat.
“It was nice that everyone enjoyed my outfit, but also, I enjoyed playing the tennis here,” Osaka reflected. “I played two three-set matches, and I felt really physically healthy — Not my ab, but just fitness-wise, it felt really good.”
Inglis’s Fairytale Run Continue
For Maddison Inglis, the walkover marks a career-best milestone. The Australian qualifier advances to the Round of 16 for the first time, continuing a gritty tournament run that has seen her fight through three qualifiers and two main draw matches.
Inglis has been battle-tested in Melbourne:
- Marathon Matches: 4 of her 5 matches have gone to three sets.
- Resilience: She saved two match points in her opening qualifier against Leyre Romero Gormaz.
Inglis now faces a monumental task against Iga Swiatek. The two have met once before, with Swiatek claiming a decisive 6-1, 6-3 victory at the Adelaide International in 2021.
