- Venus Williams of United States pulls out of Australian Open.
- Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek also withdraw from this year’s event.
- Nick Kyrgios withdraws from United Cup and Adelaide International.
Only hours after world No. 1 men’s singles player Carlos Alcaraz of Spain announced his retirement from the Australian Open, seven-time Grand Slam singles winner Venus Williams of the United States made the same decision on Saturday.
Williams has pulled out of the Grand Slam owing to an injury she acquired at the ASB Classic in New Zealand, according to a social media tweet from the Australian Open’s official account. Kim Birrell, an Australian woman aged 24 who is presently ranked No. 173 in the women’s singles rankings, will receive Williams’ wildcard.
Venus Williams was scheduled to make her 22nd return to Melbourne Park for the Australian Open in 2023, 25 years after making her debut there in 1998.
The Australian Open will not be held this year due to a right leg injury that world No. 1 Alcaraz sustained “through an accidental, unnatural action in training.” “Although it’s difficult, I must maintain my optimism, get better, and look ahead. I’ll see you at the Australian Open in 2024 “the top seed remarked.
Several players have reported injuries with only a few days till the Australian Open begins, raising questions about their participation in the year’s first Grand Slam and adding uncertainty to their performance at the start of a new tennis season.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland withdrew on Saturday after losing to American Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-2 in the United Cup semifinals.
On Friday, when facing off Slovakia qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova at the ASB Classic, the 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu retired from their match at the start of the third set. The British emerging tennis star was seen leaving the court in tears.
“So to be stopped by a freak injury, rolling an ankle is pretty disappointing, in the first week as well,” Raducanu told media, adding that it remains unknown if she’ll be able to play at the Australian Open.
In order to recover from an ankle injury, world No. 22 Nick Kyrgios withdrew from both the United Cup and Adelaide International, two events that served as warm-ups for the Australian Open.
With a knee issue, world No. 17 and former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic also withdrew from the Tata Open Maharashtra.
“Very sorry, I couldn’t come out again today to compete. Today, during the warm-up. I injured my knee and unfortunately it didn’t get better until I was about to go out on the court,” Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open winner, informed through the ATP 250 event’s organisers.
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