Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Grand Slam ahead of her scheduled third round match on Saturday due to an abdominal injury.
Her opponent, Australian Maddison Inglis, has a walkover into the fourth round.
The 16th seed Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 winner at Melbourne Park, said on social media that her body needed attention following her previous match against Sorana Cirstea.
She later said at the tournament she had been carrying the injury and had hoped to play through the pain.
‘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,’ she said.
‘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.’
The pull-out is a setback for Osaka, who has been returning to her best and made the U.S. Open semi-finals last year.
At Melbourne Park, Osaka made a huge splash before her opening match against Antonia Ruzic when she entered Rod Laver Arena in a jellyfish-inspired outfit, one of the boldest fashion statements seen at a Grand Slam.
‘Obviously it was nice that everyone enjoyed my outfit, but also, I enjoyed playing the tennis here. I played two three-set matches, and I felt really physically healthy.
‘Well, I guess, not my (abdomen), but just fitness-wise it felt really good.’