Naomi Osaka Withdraws from Australian Open Citing Pregnancy-Related Injury
A heartbreaking development unfolded at the australian Open as Naomi Osaka withdrew from her highly anticipated fourth-round match against qualifier Maddison Inglis just hours before taking the court.The two-time champion attributed her decision to an abdominal injury, linking it to the physical changes experienced during pregnancy.
osaka’s withdrawal dramatically shifts the tournament landscape,propelling Inglis into a fourth-round showdown with world No. 2 Iga swiatek. The news came after Swiatek herself faced a challenging test, ultimately overcoming a determined Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 in a match lasting 1 hour and 44 minutes.
The 28-year-old Osaka revealed this wasn’t the first time she’d experienced this particular injury.”I thought I could push through it,” she explained, adding that she had played
She initially announced her withdrawal on Instagram at 8 p.m. local time, while another match was underway on center court.”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,” she wrote. She also expressed gratitude to her team and the tournament organizers for their support.
Osaka’s anticipated match against Inglis was slated for a prime Saturday evening slot on Rod Laver Arena,following the contest between Novak Djokovic and Botic van de Zandschulp. Throughout the tournament, Osaka captivated fans with her jellyfish-inspired outfit in the first round and found herself at the center of a fair play debate with Sorana Cirstea in her previous match.
Despite the unfortunate withdrawal, Osaka remained optimistic. “It was nice everyone enjoyed my outfit, but also, I enjoyed playing here,” she said. “I played two three-set matches and I felt really physically healthy… I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy, and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
Australian Open: Fourth-Round Draws
Men’s Singles
(1) Carlos Alcaraz v Tommy Paul (19)
(10) Alexander Bublik v Alex de Minaur (6)
(3) Alexander Zverev v Francisco Cerundolo (18)
(11) Daniil Medvedev v Learner Tien (25)
(5) Lorenzo Musetti v Taylor Fritz (9)
(16) Jakub Mensik v Novak Djokovic (4)
(8) Ben Shelton v Casper Ruud (12)
(22) Luciano Darderi v Jannik Sinner (2)
Women’s Singles
(1) Aryna Sabalenka V Victoria Mboko (17)
Yulea Putinsva v Ova Jovic (29)
(3) Coco Gauff v Karolina Muchova (19)
(12) Elina Svitolina v Mirra Andreeva (8)
(6) Jessica pegula in Madison Keys (9)
Wang Xinyu v Amanda Anisimova (4)
(5) Elena Rybakina v elise Mertens (21)
Madison Valimates V Ia Swiatk (2)
Tournament officials swiftly adjusted the schedule, replacing Osaka’s match with a men’s doubles contest featuring Australian pair Jason Kubler – Inglis’s fiancé – and Marc Polmans, alongside Jakub Paul and Marcus Willis, to ensure continued action for ticketholders. Elsewhere, former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina advanced to the fourth round with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 victory over Tereza Valentova, setting up a clash with the 21st seed, Elise Mertens.
