Naomi Osaka ’s return to Grand Slam competition ended prematurely on Friday, as the two-time Australian Open champion was forced to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to a strained abdominal muscle. Osaka had dropped the opening set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3), before informing the chair umpire she could no longer continue.

The two-time Australian Open champion stopped her third-round match against Belinda Bencic because of a strained abdominal.

Naomi Osaka was forced to retire from her third round clash against Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open after losing the first set on a tiebreak at Melbourne Park.

Naomi Osaka is back in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2022 and she got there with wins at the Australian Open over two women who blocked her path last year

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned from maternity leave last year and lost in the first or second round of all four major tournaments. The 27-year-old Japan native has not won any event on the WTA Tour since capturing her second Australian Open title to start 2021.

Down 5-0 in the first set, the former No. 1 player beats Karolina Muchova in three sets to make a Grand Slam third round for the first time in three years

Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff roll to Australian Open's 4th round. Naomi Osaka retires due to injury and Jessica Pegula was upset in the third round.

Naomi Osaka’s recent travels are starting to become a roller-coaster ride. The new year started well, with a run to the final in the Auckland tournament. She was ahead by a set and had her first tennis tournament title since becoming a mother in sight, but she had to pull out against Clara Tauson of Denmark with an injury.

Belinda Bencic (No. 294) will take on Naomi Osaka (No. 51) in the Round of 32 at the Australian Open on Thursday, January 16.Osaka secured a three-set victory over Karolina Muchova (1-6, 6-1, 6-3)

For the first time in three years, the tennis world will see Naomi Osaka in the third around of the Grand Slam.

In the Australian Open Round of 64 on Tuesday, we have a matchup featuring No. 51-ranked Naomi Osaka versus No. 20 Karolina Muchova.Muchova’s last competition was a win, 6-1, 6-3, over

MELBOURNE, Australia — For Naomi Osaka, this journey to the other ... a suboptimal development just a few days before the start of the Australian Open. A few days later, the fires in Los Angeles ...