Tennis: Naomi Osaka retires hurt in Australian Open 3rd round

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka retired from her Australian Open third-round match Friday with an abdominal injury after losing the first set 7-6(3) to Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic.

The Japanese star dropped her opening service game but broke right back and went on to hold a commanding 5-2 lead against her Swiss opponent before the injury started to have an effect on the sixth day of the Grand Slam event.

Japan's Naomi Osaka plays a shot during her match against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during the third round of the women's singles at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)

Osaka's loss left no Japanese in the men's or women's singles draw at Melbourne Park.

In other third-round action, top-seeded Belarusian and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated Denmark's Clara Tauson 7-6(5), 6-4.

In the men's draw, Germany's Alexander Zverev eased to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Britain's Jacob Fearnley, while Spain's Carlos Alcaraz defeated Portugal's Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain plays against Nuno Borges of Portugal in the third round of the men's singles at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Jan. 17, 2025. (Kyodo)

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