Reigning champion battles heat and wind to deny TausonAndreeva, Vekic and Badosa all book spots in round four
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.
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