Listen to this articleNaomi Osaka acknowledges the crowd after winning her second-round match against Sorana Cirstea at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan 22, 2026. (Photo: Reuters)MELBOURNE - 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. The Japanese 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. 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 US 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.

Source: Bangkok Post January 24, 2026 13:04 UTC