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Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic advanced to the last 16 of the Australian Open after two-time champion Naomi Osaka retired during Friday’s third-round match with an injury.
Bencic took the first set in a tie-break 7-6(3) before Japan’s Osaka, who had also pulled out of the Auckland final earlier this month due to an abdominal injury, withdrew from the contest. Osaka led 5-2 in the opening set but showed signs of struggles with her abdomen and called for a physio during a changeover. The 27-year-old initially soldiered on after treatment before eventually retiring.