Tennis

Australian Open Withdrawals 2023 – Alcaraz, Williams, and Osaka Out

At the time of writing, it is just one week to go until the 2023 Australian Open kicks off. In fact, the qualifying matches are already taking place as we speak. So clearly, the next seven days will be pretty huge since the draw and final warm-up tournaments will take place. However, while many big names were confirmed as entrants for this year’s tournament, some of them have chosen to withdraw.

Australian Open withdrawals 2023

As you can see from the title, that’s precisely what I shall be disclosing here. I want to give you the most recent updates on who has withdrawn from the Australian Open 2023 as of January 9th. And sadly, there are some huge names that have fallen by the wayside ahead of another exciting Grand Slam event.

Without further ado, let me get started and discuss the withdrawals that have caused the biggest stir among fans and pundits alike.

2023 Australian Open – Major Withdrawals Announced

Note that I shall be focusing on the players that have withdrawn after confirming their entry into the event this year. That way, I can keep things fresh and relevant while avoiding sharing information that you may already know. Anyway, as I’ve noted in the title of this article, there are three shock withdrawals that have been announced in recent days. And I wish to share a few moments here to reveal the details behind the withdrawals.

I’ll also highlight the impact that such withdrawals will have on the respective Australian Open draws, as things stand. 

Carlos Alcaraz

This was the biggest shock announced in recent days regarding Australian Open withdrawals. Carlos Alcaraz is the number one player in the world. And because of this, he was the number-one seed for the 2023 Australian Open. So really, as you can imagine, this is the most impactful of the three withdrawals discussed here. He has withdrawn due to a freak injury in training too, which relates to his leg according to a social media post from the Spaniard.

Because of his withdrawal, Alcaraz will be replaced by Rafael Nadal as the top seed.

Naomi Osaka

Given that Naomi Osaka has won the Australian Open twice, this was another big shock. Osaka managed to win the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. But since the win in 2021, her career has certainly been somewhat rocky. Sadly, Osaka has battled with mental health issues that have impacted her game. And just over a week before the Australian Open 2023 was due to begin, she pulled out – although she gave no reasons for the surprise withdrawal.

This has prompted many pundits to speculate about the state of her mental health and her commitment to the sport.

Venus Williams

Australian tennis fans were ecstatic when Venus Williams was given a wildcard for the event this year. Things were also looking promising when Venus Williams entered the warm-up event in New Zealand too. However, Williams picked up an injury in the ASB Classic in New Zealand which has forced her to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open.


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