Two more star players have pulled out of the Australian Open just hours before their opening match.
After a long winter break, the 2026 tennis calendar is will officially get underway as the Australian Open begins at Melbourne Park in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The tournament is always a highly-anticipated part of the year as it signals the start of the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events that take place annually.
As such, almost all of the biggest names in the sport typically compete in the Australian Open, with only those who are forced to miss it through injury absent.
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But just hours before the tournament was set to begin, two top players have confirmed they have pulled out, forcing organisers to find quick replacements ahead of the opening round.
In the build-up to the Australian Open, Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen confirmed she would be absent through injury while former men's number three Milos Raonic announced his retirement.
Just days before the opening round, Adelaide native Thanasi Kokkinakis also confirmed that he will also have to sit out of the single event at the Australian Open as he continues to struggle with injuries that have held him back in recent years.
And now, Matteo Berrettini is the latest player to withdraw from the Australian Open ahead of his match against sixth-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur.
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Confirming the news, the Italian said: "I’m really sorry to have to withdraw from the tournament.
"I have always enjoyed being and playing here and feeling your incredible support. Thank you to the tournament for their fantastic organisation and I hope to see all of you again very soon.”
He will now be replaced by the lucky Mackenzie McDonald, despite the fact he lost to Canada's Liam Draxl in the qualifiers for the tournament.
But Berrettini isn't the only player to pull out of the tournament last minute, as 2024 quarterfinalist Arthur Cazaux has also withdrawn.
The Frenchman, ranked 67th in the world, was scheduled to face Portuguese player Jaime Faria in his opening match but an elbow fracture sustained during a tournament in Brisbane earlier this month has ruled him out.
"A small fracture in the tendon of the right elbow appeared at the Brisbane tournament at the beginning of the month, and it had already bothered me a lot last year," Cazaux confirmed on social media.
"I did everything possible to be able to play in Melbourne, but it's really too tight. I will return to Europe to receive all necessary treatments.
"Naturally, I am very disappointed not to be able to participate in one of the biggest tournaments of the season, especially since it's a place that holds a special meaning for me, where I have good memories.
"But the priority now is to get treatment so I can return to the court, improve, and give my all again."
As a consequence of this withdrawal, Alexander Blockx will enter the tournanmnet as a lucky loser, competing in his first match in a Grand Slam main draw against Faria.
Topics: Australian Open, Tennis, Injury
Ben McCrum