Naomi Osaka has announced that she will not be competing in the Australian Open. Because she hadn’t played since the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last year, the Japanese player initially faced a lot of criticism for skipping the event. She did, however, later make the announcement that she was expecting a child and that she would be competing at the Asia-Pacific Major in 2024.
The Asia-Pacific Major withdrawal of Naomi Osaka occurred shortly after the ATP World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz resigned following a training-related injury to his right leg. He will be replaced as the top seed in the Grand Slam men’s singles event by Rafael Nadal.
#1 Carlos Alcaraz
ATP World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz had a great 2022 season, but he broke his abdominal muscle at the Paris Masters. The Spaniard was unable to participate in the ATP Finals as a result.
During the Australian Open, Alcaraz attempted to return to the ATP tour, but he was forced to withdraw due to a muscle injury in his right leg from training.
Alcaraz lost in five sets to eventual semifinalist Matteo Berrettini in the third round of the Australian Open the year before.
#2 Venus Williams
Venus Williams started her 2023 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she lost to China’s Zhu Lin 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. After receiving a wildcard for the women’s singles competition, the 42-year-old woman was scheduled to play in the Australian Open.
However, an injury she sustained at the ASB Classic forced her to withdraw from the tournament. Kim Birrell of Australia will now receive her wildcard.
Williams will miss the Australian Open for the first time in two consecutive years. The last time the American participated in the tournament was in 2021 when she lost to Sara Errani in the second round.
#3 Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is a two-time champion who withdrew from the Asia-Pacific Major. She hasn’t said why. Dayana Yastremska will take the place of the Japanese in the tournament’s main draw.
Osaka won the Australian Open twice in 2019 and 2021, which is a pretty good record. The year before, she lost to Amanda Anisimova in the tournament’s third round.
Since winning the Melbourne Major in 2021, Osaka’s performances have decreased. Reaching the Miami Open final in 2022 was her most memorable moment. She was ranked 42nd worldwide at the end of the season.
#4 Simona Halep
Simona Halep was the former No. 1 Another well-known player who won’t be at the Australian Open in 2023.
However, the Romanian’s absence is not due to fitness concerns because the International Tennis Integration Association has provisionally suspended her from tennis after she tested positive for Roxadustat, a banned substance that not only treats anemia but also improves endurance in athletes.
The Romanian has requested an emergency hearing in light of new findings and is planning to challenge the ban.
After falling in the rankings in 2021, Halep had a strong 2022 season that saw her return to the Top 10 of the WTA. She lost to Alize Cornet in the fourth round of the Melbourne Grand Slam the year before.
#5 Marin Cilic
World No. 18 in ATP, Marin Cilic pulled out of the 2023 Australian Open because he hurt his knee while training for the Tata Open in Pune, where he was going to play in the quarterfinals.
Cilic has been a standard at the Australian Open all through his vocation and his best presentation came in 2018 when he arrived at the last prior to losing to Roger Federer. In 2010, he also reached the semifinals before losing to Andy Murray.
The Croat lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round of the Australian Open the previous year.
#6 Paula Badosa
The most recent participant to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open is Paula Badosa. During her arduous quarterfinal match against Beatriz Haddad Maia at the Adelaide International 2, the Spaniard sustained a thigh injury.
She missed the tournament’s semifinal at first due to the injury, which will keep her out for a few weeks.
#7 Gael Monfils
Gael Monfils reached the 2022 Australian Open quarterfinals, where he defeated Matteo Berrettini in five sets after putting up a tough fight. Following that, he suffered a series of injuries that brought an early end to his 2022 season.
The Frenchman hasn’t played since the Canadian Open, and he said last month that he won’t be able to play in the first Major of the year in 2023.
#8 Reilly Opelka
Reilly Opelka missed several tournaments, including the US Open, during the second half of the 2022 season due to injuries, resulting in a significant drop in the ATP rankings.
The American looked like he might play again at the 2023 Australian Open because he was on the entry list. However, due to an injury, he recently withdrew from the Asia-Pacific Major. Zhang Zhizhen, a citizen of China, will take his place.
Opelka competed in the Major Down Under the previous year and reached the third round before losing to Denis Shapovalov, who would go on to reach the quarterfinals.