US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz has introduced he’ll miss the Australian Open after injuring his proper leg in coaching.
“I picked up an injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training,” the 19-year-old Spaniard wrote on his Twitter account.
“I’d worked so hard to get to my best level for Australia but unfortunately I won’t be able to play,” the world’s top-ranked participant added.
“It’s tough, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look forward. We’ll see you at the Australian Open in 2024.”
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The Australian Open’s official Twitter account wrote in response: “We’re sorry we won’t be seeing you this year @carlosalcaraz Wishing you a swift recovery. See you back on court soon.”
Alcaraz’s withdrawal means defending champion, 22-time main winner and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal will probably be promoted to prime seed on the Australian Open which begins in Melbourne on January 16.
Novak Djokovic, the nine-time champion and a 21-time Grand Slam title winner, will transfer into the highest 4 seedings.
That will imply he can’t face previous rival Nadal till the semi-finals on the earliest.
Djokovic will return to the Australian Open after being deported from the nation final 12 months over his refusal to be vaccinated.
Alcaraz turned the world’s youngest world primary because the creation of the ATP rankings in 1973 by successful his first Grand Slam event on the US Open final September.
He then turned the youngest participant in historical past to complete the 12 months on the prime of the rankings, and the primary exterior of Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray to take action since Andy Roddick in 2003.
However, an stomach tear compelled him to retire within the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters in November which in flip meant he needed to miss the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin received by Djokovic.
Alcaraz additionally needed to sit out the Davis Cup Finals.
Alcaraz, who may even miss the Kooyong Tennis Classic in Melbourne subsequent week, admitted just lately that 2023 will include new experiences for him.
“I have to be prepared for that, the pressure. The people, the players as well, are going to have all their eyes on me and I’m going to have to be prepared for that,” he defined at an Abu Dhabi exhibition occasion final month the place he was crushed by prime 10 rivals Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev.
“Probably it’s going to help me a little bit to try not to think about the people, the expectations, and the ranking, and that kind of stuff,” he stated.
“I’m just going to see myself better, trying to push myself to a high level. Right now I’m focused on myself, on recovering my level.”
Alcaraz has performed twice on the Australian Open, reaching the second spherical after coming by way of qualifying in 2021 whereas final 12 months he was crushed in 5 units by Matteo Berrettini within the final 32.
Last season, Alcaraz captured 5 titles as he received 57 occasions in 70 matches. He began 2022 at 32 on the earth and made the largest rise to complete prime in 50 years of the rankings.
Alcaraz hit the giant-killing jackpot at Madrid in May when he turned the one man to beat each Nadal and Djokovic on the identical clay-court occasion.
When he then broke into the world prime 5 in July, he was the youngest man to take action since 2005.
His coach former world primary Juan Carlos Ferrero believes that if Alcaraz stays match, he’s able to successful 30 Grand Slam titles
