Injury Forces Osaka’s Exit from Australian Open

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the 2026 Australian Open due to a left abdominal injury. The withdrawal comes after Osaka advanced to the third round, defeating Sorana Cirstea in a three-set match.

“It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” Osaka said to media via Tennis Australia. “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.”

Tennis Australia

This is not the first time Osaka has experienced abdominal issues at the Australian Open, having previously retired from a third-round match in 2025 due to a similar injury.

WTA Rankings Update: Osaka Remains at No. 16

Despite the withdrawal, Osaka’s WTA ranking remains unchanged at No. 16, with 2,324 points. She was previously ranked No. 1 in women’s singles by the WTA for 25 weeks starting in January 2019.

Qualifier Maddison Inglis advances to the Round of 16 via walkover.

Top 10 Japanese Players in WTA Rankings (February 23, 2026)

• No. 16 Naomi Osaka (2,324 points)
• No. 104 Moeka Uchijima (745 points)
• No. 135 Sakazume Himeno (556 points)
• No. 177 Nao Hibi (398 points)
• No. 201 Eina Shibahara (365 points)
• No. 203 Aoi Ito (361 points)
• No. 218 Hondama Shinui (334 points)
• No. 242 Saito Sakura (291 points)
• No. 279 Mei Yamaguchi (242 points)
• No. 286 Hiromi Abe (237 points)

Osaka’s Recent Performance and Return to Competition

Osaka, 28, has won seven career singles titles, including four majors: two at the Australian Open (2019, 2021) and two at the US Open (2018, 2020). She is the first Japanese player to win a major singles title.

Osaka returned to competition in 2024 following maternity depart, reaching the quarterfinals at Doha and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. She also reached the round of 16 at Rome and Beijing.

“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.”

Naomi Osaka

FAQ

What injury caused Naomi Osaka to withdraw?

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the 2026 Australian Open due to a left abdominal injury.

What is Naomi Osaka’s current WTA ranking?

Naomi Osaka is currently ranked No. 16 in the WTA rankings as of February 23, 2026.

How many Grand Slam titles has Naomi Osaka won?

Naomi Osaka has won four Grand Slam singles titles.