MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Swiss 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 abdominal strain that has affected her since the start of the season.

Belinda Bencic returned to the Round of 16 at the Australian Open after Naomi Osaka was forced to retire with an injury in the third round.

A persistent abdominal injury started troubling Osaka during the first set of her match on Friday, with the 27-year-old calling for medical attention when up 6-5. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Naomi Osaka forced to retire hurt at Australian Open. She played on until the end of the first set tiebreaker, which Bencic won, before calling it quits.

Naomi Osaka withdrew from match against Belinda Bencic after her pain became unbearable in third round.On Friday at John Cain Arena, Melbourne the four-time Grand Slam champion was leading the opening set with 5-2 but started struggling

Naomi Osakas Australian Open campaign came to a premature end as she withdrew from her tie with Belinda Bencic.

Belinda Bencic will face either Coco Gauff or Leylah Fernandez in the third round on her return to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open. Albeit it was in unfortunate circumstances as Naomi Osaka had to retire injured from their tie.

Sabalenka's fourth-round challenge will be the 14th seed Mirra Andreeva, who she leads 3-1 in head-to-head record. Andreeva secured her first win against Sabalenka at the French Open quarterfinals last year.

Belinda Bencic progressed to the Round of 16 at the Australian Open after former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka retired from their

The former No. 1 had a disrupted build-up to the first Grand Slam of the year, retiring from the final in Auckland, again with an abdominal injury

Iga Swiatek handed Emma Raducanu one of the most one-sided defeats of her career in the third round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Bencic felt for Osaka after the injured Japanese was forced to retire their Australian Open third-round match.