It is news of a few days ago that Carlos Alcaraz will not participate in the Australian Open 2023. For the second consecutive year, therefore, the Happy Slam will not be able to count on the number 1 in the world. Last year it was Novak Djokovic who had to give up the first Slam of the season, thanks to the well-known soap opera that had led to his expulsion from the country.
The Serbian had paid for his choice not to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus, while ‘Carlitos’ had to forfeit due to an injury to his right leg. The last few months have been difficult for the 19-year-old Spaniard, who was forced to miss the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup finals late last year due to an abdominal tear.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s protégé had started the pre-season late compared to the other players and hadn’t entered any official tournaments before the Australian Open. The young Iberian could lose the first position of the ATP ranking at the end of the AOs.
Casper Ruud will only need to reach the final to become number 1, while Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas will necessarily have to win the tournament.
Update on Carlos Alcaraz’s injury
Carlos Alcaraz announced last Friday that he could not play the Australian Open due to a right leg injury.
This Tuesday, Revelo made some revelations about the package of the world number 1. The latter took a risk during a final training match before flying to Australia, within the academy of his trainer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, against the American talent of 15 years, Darwin Blanch.
The intensity was high, Alcaraz seemed in good shape, until he tried and managed a big gap to bring a ball back and win a harmless point. But on this risky gesture, the young Spaniard would have remained on the ground after feeling pain.
Carlitos should have stopped as a precaution but he would have decided to continue so as not to worry his coach. “Nothing, nothing, I can continue,” he would have slipped to his coach, who quickly came to the news.
The match ended a few minutes later but the pain persisted. Novak Djokovic expressed his disappointment and empathized with Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard withdrew from the 2023 Australian Open. “It’s not good for the tournament and tennis.
He’s No. 1 in the world. Such a big name, big star in our sport already,” he said. “I’m sure that many of the fans are disappointed. I hope for his speedy recovery, whatever it is. I know he had an injury at the end of last season that was different from this one. It’s unfortunate for him. I hope he can recover and be back on the tour quickly.”
