Two-time champion Naomi Osaka is out of the Australian Open after she was forced to retire injured from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic.
Japan’s Osaka was playing in the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since returning from maternity leave last year.
The four-time major winner stormed to a 4-1 lead in the first set before appearing to struggle with an abdominal injury, calling for the physio at 6-5.
Osaka continued to suffer as Bencic dominated the tie-break and the 27-year-old decided to call it a day before the start of the second set.
“I really feel for Naomi. I saw her struggling a bit in the end of the set. It’s not the way you want the match to end,” former Olympic champion Bencic said.
Osaka gave birth to daughter Shai in July 2023 and returned to the WTA Tour six months later.
She lost in the first round on her Slam return at the Australian Open last year, before exiting in the second round at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.
However, Osaka had impressed at Melbourne Park this week, beating France’s Caroline Garcia in three sets in her opening match before overcoming 20th seed Karolina Muchova in just under two hours.
In the build-up to the Australian Open, she had retired from the final of the Auckland Classic – her first WTA Final for three years – with an abdominal injury.
Switzerland’s Bencic, who is playing her first major since giving birth to daughter Bella in April 2024, will face third seed Coco Gauff or Canada’s Leylah Fernandez next.
Sabalenka ‘pushes to the limit’ to progress
Image source: EPA
Image caption: Sabalenka is aiming to become just the seventh player to claim a third straight Australian Open women’s singles title, and the first since Martina Hingis in 1999
Earlier on Friday, top seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title with victory over Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
The 26-year-old Belarusian was made to work for her 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win on Rod Laver Arena but secured victory in two hours and six minutes to progress to the fourth round.
There were 11 breaks of serve in a match of rapidly shifting momentum at Melbourne Park.
“That was a great battle,” said Sabalenka.
“She played unbelievable tennis. It was really tough to play against her today.
“I’m just super happy that I was able to just stay in the game and I was able to push myself, honestly, to the limit to get this win.”
Eight of the 11 breaks of serve came in the first set as both players grappled for momentum, Tauson earning the first service hold of the match in the eighth game.
After Sabalenka broke back for a fourth time, Tauson, 22, saved four set points to force a tie-break but the world number one eventually took her chance at the fifth opportunity to seal the opening set with a thunderous forehand.
The second set followed a similar pattern as Sabalenka struggled to find a first serve but she eventually broke in the ninth game, the longest of the match which featured seven deuces, then served for the win to secure a 17th consecutive victory in Melbourne.
Despite three tough matches, Sabalenka progresses to the second week at Melbourne Park having not dropped a set and with a 30th victory in 31 matches in hard-court Slams since the start of 2023.
Sabalenka will face Poland’s Magdalena Frech or 17-year-old 14th seed Mirra Andreeva in the next round.