World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from 2023 Australian Open due to an injury

Carlos Alcaraz faces a major blow ahead of the 2023 season as he picked up an injury that forced him to withdraw from the first Grand Slam of the season.

The 19-year-old Spaniard is the champion of the last major held - the US Open. Naturally, as world number 1, he was one of the biggest favorites also at the 2023 Australian Open, but he won't take part in the event because of an injury that he picked up during the pre-season.

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This is a major blow for Alcaraz, who had a breakout year in 2022, reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Roland Garros and then going on to win his first major title at the US Open. Alcaraz's withdrawal means that the field for the Australian Open is now even more wide open, with his compatriot Rafael Nadal becoming the highest-ranked player at the event.

It is unclear at this time how long Alcaraz will be out with his injury, but it is likely that he will take some time to rest and recover before returning to the tour. In the meantime, he will no doubt be disappointed to be missing out on the opportunity to compete at the Australian Open and will be hoping to come back even stronger when he returns to the court.

Moreover, the Spaniard can lose the world no. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings to a few players, especially, Novak Djokovic, who is the biggest favourite in Melbourne.

"When I was at my best in preseason, I picked up an injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training. This time it's the semimembranosus muscle in my right leg. I'd worked so hard to get to my best level for Australia but unfortunately I won't be able to play the Care A2+ Kooyong or the Australian Open. It's tough, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look forward. See you in 2024 Australian Open," the statement read.