(Tennis news) Carlos Alcaraz will miss out on the 2023 Australian Open due to a leg injury. The 19 year old won his maiden Grand Slam last year in the United States in September, but has now revealed that he has suffered a muscle injury in his right leg during pre-season training. He is the youngest man to hold the world number 1 after defeating Casper Ruud in the US Open final in New York. He was forced to be sidelined towards the end of the last season after tearing an abdominal muscle which forced him to miss the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals.

“It’s time to deal with another blow. When I was at my best in pre-season, I picked up an injury through a chance, unnatural movement in training. I’ve worked so hard to get to my best level for Australia but unfortunately I won’t be able to play the Care A2+ Kooyong [warm-up event] or the Australian Open. It’s tough, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look forward. See you in 2024 @australianopen.” – Carlos Alcaraz wrote on social media

Meanwhile, seven time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams is also ruled out of the Australian Open due to injury. The 42 year old received a wildcard entry for the event and was on the verge of playing in her 22nd Australian Open. Williams has reached the finals twice in Melbourne but will not feature at the upcoming tournament due to an injury sustained in the Auckland Classic.

She hasn’t played in a Grand Slam event since crashing out of the first round in the US Open to unseeded Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck and it remains to be seen how quickly she will recover for the next event. “Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to an injury sustained at the ASB Classic in New Zealand,” the Australian Open said in a tweet.

Also read: Emma Raducanu suffers ankle injury before Australian Open