Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open before third round because of injury
Melbourne (Australia) (AP): Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open before her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Saturday, ending a campaign noted strikingly for fashion and friction.
The two-time Australian Open champion announced it on social media without divulging her injury, posting on Instagram that she had to withdraw “to address something my body needs attention for after my last match.”
“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart," Osaka posted, “but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”
In comments later published by the tournament, Osaka said she had a left abdominal issue.
“It's an injury I've had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”
The 28-year-old four-time major winner said she'd need more tests before deciding on long-term treatment.
“Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot,” she said. “So this is something I have to be really cautious of."
Osaka had a daughter, Shai, in July 2023 during a 15-month break from the tour. She returned to competition in 2024 and made it back to the semifinals of a major for the first time at last year's U.S. Open.
“I'm just grateful to be otherwise very healthy," she said, "and I hope that I'm able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”
Osaka's grand entrance to the tournament earlier this week went viral, when she walked onto the court for her first-round match wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol — a design she said her clothing sponsor, Nike, let her create.
In the second round, Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena that ended acrimoniously.
The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka's direction briefly and then turning her head away.
As they walked toward the umpire's chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?”
Cirstea responded directly to the four-time Grand Slam champion, upset with Osaka's efforts to pump herself up at stages during the match.
“Apparently a lot of C'mons' that she was angry about,” Osaka said, “but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it.”
Osaka won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She won two other Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open, where she beat Serena Williams in the 2018 final and won again in 2020.
She was seeded 16th for this tournament and was set to play Inglis, ranked No. 168, in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Inglis will next face No. 2-ranked Iga Swiatek, who had a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win later Saturday over No. 31 Anna Kalinskaya.
In an on-court interview following the match, Swiatek was told of Osaka's withdrawal.
“Hopefully Naomi is well. She was playing great,” said Swiatek, who is in Australia bidding to complete a career Grand Slam. “It's exciting to be in a fourth round again.”
To the crowd, she said: “Hopefully you're not going to be so harsh for me if I'm playing an Australian!”
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Popular Odia singer Abhijit Majumdar dies
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Popular Odia music composer and singer Abhijit Majumdar died on Sunday while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, hospital authorities said.
He was 54.
Majumdar was admitted to the hospital on September 4 last year with hypertension, hypothyroidism and chronic liver disease.
After prolonged treatment in the ICU, he was shifted back to the medicine ward on November 10 for continuity of his care, AIIMS said in a statement.
He developed a new onset of fever (infection) on January 23, which was managed as per standard protocol, but he did not respond to treatment and developed refractory septic shock, it said.
"The Odia singer suffered a cardiac arrest this morning at 7.43 am and CPR was started as per ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) protocol. However, despite all the resuscitation efforts, he was clinically declared dead at 9.02 am," the hospital bulletin said.
Majumdar, who composed music for numerous blockbuster Odia films and gave voice to several hit songs, has a fan following across Odisha.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik and several other leaders from the state expressed grief over the demise of Majumdar.
"I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of renowned vocalist and music director Abhijit Majumdar. His demise is an irreparable loss to our music, cinema, and culture. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and pray to Lord Jagannath for the peace of the departed soul," Majhi wrote on X.
Pradhan, in a social media post, said he was deeply saddened and heartbroken after hearing about Majumdar's demise.
Through his unique musical style, Majumdar had, over many decades, carved out a special place in the hearts of Odia music listeners, Pradhan said.
"His untimely departure is an irreparable loss for the Odia artiste fraternity. While praying for the eternal peace of his soul, I extend my condolences to the bereaved family members," the Union minister said.
Patnaik said Majumdar's contributions to the Odia music world will always remain memorable. He also extended deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.
According to Majumdar's family, the mortal remains of the singer will be taken to his home in Cuttack, where the last rites will be performed.
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