The Australian Open, which begins with the qualifiers on Monday, has seen some huge names pulling out of the event or heading into the Grand Slam on the again of accidents.
List of notable gamers who’ve withdrawn from Australian Open 2023:
CARLOS ALCARAZ
Top seed and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is the largest identify to withdraw from the Grand Slam. The Spaniard, who has had a dream run prior to now few years on the ATP tour, took to social media to announce that he had damage himself “through a chance, unnatural movement in training”.
Alcaraz, who’s the youngest man to complete a season at No. 1 because the ATP started to compile the computerised rankings, is going through a setback for the second time. He tore an belly muscle in November in the course of the Paris Masters.
NAOMI OSAKA
Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who slipped to 46 on this planet rankings, withdrew from the event on Sunday, a day earlier than the qualifiers began.
Osaka has not performed on the WTA tour since September 2022 when she gave a walkover within the second spherical of the Pan Pacific Open. In 2021, the US Open champion had taken a psychological well being break and mentioned she was battling despair.
VENUS WILLIAMS
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was getting ready to play her twenty second Australian Open this 12 months however suffered an damage in the course of the warm-up event, the ASB Classic in New Zealand.
The 42-year-old former World No. 1, who’s at present ranked exterior the highest 1000, was given a wildcard for the occasion, which was ultimately handed on to Australia’s Kimberly Birrell.
Top gamers who face damage considerations:
IGA SWIATEK
Reigning World No. 1 and Australian Open prime seed Iga Swiatek withdrew from the Adelaide Open, a tune-up event earlier than the Australian Open, on account of an damage to her shoulder.
Swiatek final performed the United Cup blended staff occasion, the place she misplaced to Jessica Pegula in straight units.
RAFAEL NADAL
Rafael Nadal would be the prime seed on the Australian Open after the withdrawal of Alcaraz. However, Nadal has had a collection of damage considerations within the latter half of 2022, the largest being his foot damage.
Nadal has for lengthy suffered from Mueller-Weiss syndrome , a uncommon foot situation characterised by a misshaped navicular bone and subsequent early onset of degenerative arthritis of the neighbouring joints.
Nadal additionally confronted an belly tear throughout Wimbledon final 12 months, which led him to provide Nick Kyrgios a walkover within the semifinals. Since then, he has misplaced within the spherical of 32 on the Cincinnati and Paris Masters, spherical of 16 on the US Open, group stage of the ATP finals and has suffered back-to-back defeats on the United Cup blended staff occasion.
Nadal would hope to defend his title however the host of damage considerations could also be an obstacle.
NICK KYRGIOS
Kyrgios, who will likely be gunning for a Grand slam win at residence on the Australian Open, withdrew from the Adelaide International on account of an ankle damage. He didn’t take part within the United Cup blended staff occasion as effectively, citing the identical damage. However, his supervisor clarified there was “no doubt at all” that Kyrgios would characteristic on the opening Grand Slam of the 12 months when he spoke to the Australian media.
EMMA RADUCANU
Emma Raducanu, who received the US Open in 2021 with out dropping a set, hasn’t been in a position to replicate that kind since. She retired damage from the ASB Classic in New Zealand this 12 months after rolling her ankle within the second spherical. As the damage got here days earlier than the beginning of the Australian Open, her availability and match health stay uncertain.
Raducanu’s finest efficiency at a Grand Slam in 2022 was a second-round exit from the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. She confronted a first-round exit on the US Open final 12 months after dropping to Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-3.