Naomi Osaka was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open, ending her comeback campaign at Melbourne Park prematurely.
The Japanese star, who returned to the tour earlier this year after a 15-month absence, cited a left abdominal injury as the reason for her withdrawal just before her third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis.
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Osaka later explained that she had played through pain in her second round victory over Sorana Cirstea, but had hoped to recover in time for the next round.
The two-time Australian Open champion also revealed that the injury worsened during training.
Before her withdrawal, the 28-year-old was scheduled to face Iga Swiatek, who commented on the situation immediately after her tough third-round victory over Anna Kalinskaya.
Iga Swiatek wishes Naomi Osaka good luck after injury withdrawal
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images
In her post-match interview, after hearing the news from Osaka, Swiatek said: “I don’t know what my reaction should be, but I hope Naomi is okay.
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“She was playing very well. I didn’t watch, but I saw from the scores that she likes playing here. I hope she does well.
“It’s exciting to be in the fourth round and guys, I hope you won’t be so hard on me if I play an Australian! Please make it even.”
Swiatek is 2-1 against Osaka in head-to-head meetings, having lost her first match at the 2019 Canadian Open before winning in Miami and Paris.
The world No.1 has faced Inglis only once before, beating her convincingly in straight sets at the 2021 Adelaide International.
How Iga Swiatek’s journey to the Australian Open final changed after Naomi Osaka withdrew
Osaka’s withdrawal may have paved the way for Swiatek, but the six-time Grand Slam winner still has plenty of challenges ahead if she is to complete her career Grand Slam.
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If she gets past Inglis, Swiatek will face Elena Rybakina or Elise Mertens in the quarterfinals, both of whom pose different threats.
The semi-finals could see her face Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula or defending champion Madison Keys, each of whom would pose a serious test.
Between Swiatek and the trophy could very well be world number one Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian is aiming to regain the Australian Open title and is the clear favorite on her side of the draw.
