Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open ahead of her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis. The four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1 announced her withdrawal on Saturday, citing an abdominal injury.

The 28-year-old Osaka, seeded 16th in the tournament, confirmed the news via a statement on her Instagram account. "I've had to make the difficult decision to withdraw to address something my body needs attention for after my last match," she wrote. "I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart, but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court". She also expressed gratitude for the support she received, thanking her team and the tournament organizers.

Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion (2019, 2021), had previously taken a medical timeout during her second-round win, also suggesting an abdominal strain. In a later statement, Osaka said that the abdominal issue was an injury she had experienced a couple of times before. "I played my last match with some pain, and 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 added, "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".

Her withdrawal allows Maddison Inglis to advance to the fourth round, marking her first time in the round of 16 at a Grand Slam tournament. Inglis will now face second seed Iga Swiatek. Inglis had spent a total of 13 hours and 24 minutes on the court over 14 sets to reach the third round.

Osaka's 2026 Australian Open campaign included a first-round victory over Antonia Ruzic and a three-set win against Sorana Cirstea. The match against Cirstea was preceded by some controversy after Osaka made some comments about her opponent, later apologizing for the remarks. Moreover, Osaka made headlines with a jellyfish-inspired outfit during her opening match.

The news of Osaka's withdrawal landed late on a Saturday in Melbourne, which had been affected by soaring temperatures that triggered the tournament's heat protocols, leading to arena roofs being closed and play suspended on outside courts.