Bencic Advances to Fourth Round at Australian Open After Osaka Retires Due to Injury

Melbourne: Belinda Bencic advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open after Naomi Osaka retired from their third-round match due to injury.

Bencic Claims First Set 7-6 (3) Before Osaka Retires

Bencic claimed the opening set 7-6 (3) before Osaka, visibly struggling, retired from the match. The 27-year-old Bencic, who is playing her first Grand Slam since giving birth to her daughter Bella, reached her first Round of 16 at a major since the 2023 US Open.

Before leaving the court, Bencic took a moment to sign the camera with a heartfelt message for Osaka: “Get well soon, Mama.”

Also Read: Sobhita is ecstatic as ‘Monkey Man’ gets BAFTA nod: Am I dreaming or what

Next Challenge: Coco Gauff or Leylah Fernandez

Bencic will next face either World No. 3 Coco Gauff or Leylah Fernandez in the fourth round, as she aims to make her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2021 US Open.

Osaka Struggles With Injury During Match

In their first meeting since the 2022 Miami Open, Osaka started strong, building a 5-3 lead in the opening set. However, she appeared to be struggling with discomfort and began altering her service motion. After Bencic broke back, Osaka called for a medical timeout. The Swiss player then took control, winning a composed tiebreak 7-3 after 57 minutes.

Osaka’s Injury Woes Continue

Osaka, visibly in pain, walked to her chair and ultimately decided to retire from the match. This marks her third consecutive tournament retirement. The Japanese star had previously retired from the ASB Classic final in Auckland earlier this year due to an abdominal injury. Osaka had also retired during the 2024 China Open due to a back injury against Gauff.

Despite concerns about her abdominal injury before the tournament, Osaka had expressed optimism about playing in the Australian Open, stating that the MRI results weren’t “fantastic,” but she felt confident to take the court.