Naomi Osaka came from one set down to defeat Karolina Muchova in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open.

Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka stopped playing because of a strained abdominal muscle after dropping the opening set of her third-round match against Belinda Bencic. “I kind of have a history of it,

Naomi Osaka beat Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 at the Australian Open, reaching the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time since her return from maternity leave.

When Osaka struggled to lift her arm during the match, it became clear that she was struggling with another abdominal injury. It all began last Fall during her match against Coco Gauff in the China Open. An MRI revealed a bulged disc in her back and ruptured abdominal muscles.

Naomi Osaka ’s return to Grand Slam competition ended prematurely on Friday, as the two-time Australian Open champion was forced to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to a strained abdominal muscle. Osaka had dropped the opening set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (3), before informing the chair umpire she could no longer continue.

Since returning to action a year ago, Osaka has shown signs of getting her game back together, including a memorable and narrow loss to then-No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the French Open.

Naomi Osaka's run to a third Australian Open title was cut short on Friday, as a lingering injury caused her to retire from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic. Osaka, whose last Grand Slam win came in Melbourne in 2021,

The 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Karolina Muchova allowed Osaka to reach the third round at a major tournament for the first time since the 2022 season.