Australian Open: Osaka’s marketing campaign reduce brief by damage, Sabalenka into 4th spherical

Naomi Osaka’s bid to win her third Australian Open title got here to a grinding halt on Friday, January 17. The 2-time champion needed to retire halfway by her third-round match towards Belinda Bencic on the John Cain Area in Melbourne. Osaka had misplaced the primary set in a tie-breaker — 7-6 (3) — when she wanted medical consideration. The four-time Grand Slam champion determined to not proceed with the match after the evaluation from the medical staff.

Australian Open, Day 6 Updates

Naomi Osaka has been coping with an stomach damage for the reason that begin of the 2025 season. The Japanese star was struggling along with her serves in direction of tnhe finish of the primary set towards Bencic, barely managing to place any energy behind her pictures. Osaka had withdrawn from Auckland Traditional, a WTA 250 occasion final week. She was main Claura Tauson 6-4 within the ladies’s singles remaining earlier than retiring as a result of damage.

Naomi Osaka appeared to have overcome the damage concern as she showcased glimpses of her classic ball-striking capacity within the first two rounds of the Australian Open. Nevertheless, the damage appears to have flared up on the fallacious time for the star participant. Osaka had returned to the tour after maternity depart final yr. She suffered a first-round exit on the Australian Open and didn’t progress past the second spherical in any of the opposite three Grand Slams final yr.

Alternatively, Belinda Bencic, who returned from a maternity depart initially of the yr, has progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of a Grand Slam occasion for the primary time for the reason that US Open in 2023.

“I actually really feel for Naomi, I noticed her struggling a bit of bit on the finish of the set and clearly it isn’t the way in which you desire to this match to finish,” Bencic mentioned.

“I believed it was an excellent match so hopefully she’ll be high-quality quickly and she will play effectively for the remainder of the season.”

SABALENKA ON TRACK FOR HAT-TRICK

Earlier on Friday, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, eyeing a hat-trick of titles on the Australian Open, overcame a stiff take a look at to progress to the fourth spherical in ladies’s singles. Sabalenka clinched a 7-6(5) 6-4 victory over Clara Tauson on a vibrant and sunny morning in Melbourne.

The match, lasting over two hours, was marked by seven consecutive service breaks on the outset, with Sabalenka dropping her fourth service recreation to like. Regardless of the wobbly begin, Sabalenka showcased resilience, recovering from a 5-3 deficit within the first set to clinch the tiebreak. She attributed her serving difficulties to windy situations and heavier balls, which affected her aggressive play.

This victory extends Sabalenka’s profitable streak on the Australian Open to 17 matches, the longest since Victoria Azarenka’s 18-match run between 2012 and 2014.

Sabalenka will subsequent face 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Magdalena Frech 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 in her third-round match. .