MELBOURNE, Australia — 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.

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,

Belinda Bencic returned to the Round of 16 at the Australian Open after Naomi Osaka was forced to retire with an injury in the third round.