Belinda Bencic advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open in an unexpected and bittersweet way, as Naomi Osaka withdrew from their third round match due to an abdominal injury. The Swiss star, a new mother herself, showed sincere empathy towards Osaka with a touching gesture and kind words.
A painful end for Osaka
Osaka, visibly struggling with her moves throughout the match, bowed out after losing the first set 7-6 (3). The four-time Grand Slam champion, who has expressed her desire to make a triumphant return as a mother, was visibly emotional as her run at the Australian Open came to an abrupt end.
The 27-year-old then revealed she had been battling injury since the start of the season, with her condition having deteriorated following a grueling second round win over Karolina Muchova.
“Obviously after my last match it got worse,” Osaka admitted. “It was just kind of inevitable. But the competitor in me just wanted to see it through to the end.”
Bencic’s classy response
Rather than celebrating his victory, Bencic took a moment to show solidarity with Osaka. The Tokyo 2021 Olympic gold medalist wrote a touching message on the camera lens after the match:
“Get well soon mom ❤️”
Bencic, who gave birth to her first child last year, later expressed her compassion for Osaka during the post-match interview.
-“In that moment, I really feel for Naomi,” Bencic said. “I saw her struggle a little at the end of the set. This is not the way we would like the match to end. I hope she gets well soon and can play well for the rest of the season.”
Osaka’s fighting spirit
Despite the injury, Osaka fought valiantly in her second round match, but the demands of the Melbourne heat and competition ultimately got the better of her. His decision to withdraw from the match against Bencic highlighted his physical limitations and the need to recover.
“I was doing daily treatments and exercises, but after my last match, I knew that playing a full match today would be a tough ask,” Osaka said.
A season of resilience ahead
For Osaka, this setback is a difficult start to a season that she hoped to mark with a strong comeback in her career. His determination to compete despite the injury underlines his commitment to returning to the pinnacle of the sport.
Bencic, meanwhile, moves into the fourth round with her eyes set on a strong performance in Melbourne, but she enjoys the respect of fans and peers for her empathetic response to a competitor’s pain.
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