Osaka lost the set and then gave up the match.
Osaka had reached the third round in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2022.
In her season debut in Auckland, she reached the final – which she also had to break off due to a stomach injury.
At least once a year, I get bothered, says Osaka, attributing her abdominal muscle problems to her serve.
It's quite explosive.
Last autumn, she broke off a match against American Coco Gauff due to an abdominal muscle injury.
Unfortunately, the problems continued at the beginning of this season, says Osaka, who felt the injury already in the previous match, against Karolina Muchova in the second round on Wednesday.
It was, I suppose, a bit inevitable, but I think the competitor in me just wanted to keep fighting. I just hope I can figure out how to get healthy in time, she says.
The Japanese player hopes to be in playing shape for the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami in March.
Belinda Bencic regrets that Osaka had to break off the match and wishes her a speedy recovery.
Hopefully, she'll be feeling well again soon and can play the rest of the season, says the Swiss player who won the Olympic Games gold medal in singles in Tokyo 2021.
Osaka has won the Australian Open twice, in 2019 and 2021.
