Osaka in Australian Open injury scare as Sabalenka wins in Brisbane

Naomi Osaka has suffered an injury scare ahead of the Australian Open later this month after retiring from the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland with an abdominal issue.

Osaka won the first set 6-4 against Clara Tauson but was then unable to continue and sat in tears as she waited for the trainer to arrive, although cut a more cheerful figure at the presentation.

“I just want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city and I had a lot of fun playing here,” said Osaka, without going into detail about her problem.

“I’m really sorry about how it ended but I hope you enjoyed the tennis that we did play. I’m just grateful to be here.”

The first Grand Slam of the year begins in Melbourne on Sunday January 12 with the draw set to take place this coming Thursday.

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the reigning women’s Australian Open champion and geared up for her title defence by coming from a set down to defeat Polina Kudermetova in the final of the Brisbane International, winning 4-6 6-3 6-2.

Osaka impresses before retirement in Auckland

Osaka was looking to win her first title since the 2021 Australian Open and had reached her first final since 2022 after returning to tennis last year following the birth of her daughter Shai.

The four-time Grand Slam champion – Osaka has won twice in Melbourne and twice at the US Open – led Tauson 5-1 in the opening set with a double break and eventually closed that out despite being broken back once.

Osaka’s retirement handed Tauson her third WTA Tour title and first since the Luxembourg Open in 2021.

Tauson said: “I have to say I’m really sorry about this final. Naomi was playing some great tennis. I just feel said about what happened.

“When I process this, I’m going to be super happy about my week. I’m happy that I won, but not really.”

Sabalenka rallies to win in Brisbane

Sabalenka was given a test by Russian qualifier Kudermetova and dropped serve twice as she lost the first set.

However, the Belarusian clinched a break with a delicate drop shot and began to dominate the world No 107 thereafter, setting up a third set and then breaking in the decider with a crosscourt forehand winner.

Sabalenka’s title win was her 18th on the WTA Tour and fourth since August 2024.

“I’m super happy to lift this trophy,” she said, a year after losing to Elena Rybakina in the Brisbane final. “It’s a really important tournament before heading into the Australian Open.”

In the men’s final in Brisbane, Jiri Lehecka beat Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Reilly Opelka after his opponent pulled out at 4-1 down in the opening set with a back problem, while Alexandre Muller defeated the veteran Kei Nishikori to win the Hong Kong Open.

Krejcikova out of Australian Open

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova will miss the Melbourne Grand Slam due to an ongoing recovery from a back problem.

The 29-year-old sustained the injury during the WTA Tour’s Asian swing and seemed to be affected by it at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh in November.

“I wanted to share a quick update regarding my withdrawal from the Australian Open,” Krejcikova, last year’s Australian Open quarter-finalist, said on social media platform X.

“Unfortunately, my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed.

“It’s disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great from last year. I’m working hard to get back to full health. I can’t wait to see you on the court soon.”

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