Three notable names have confirmed they will not feature at this season’s Australian Open, headlined by last year’s quarterfinalist Barbora Krejcikova. A pair of former world no. 1-ranked players in Caroline Woznaicki and Karolina Pliskova also withdrew, a week before the tournament’s main draw begins.
Krejcikova sidelined for foreseeable future
Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova announced on social media she has regretfully withdrawn from the year’s first Grand Slam with a lingering back issue not healing fast enough to recover fully from in time for the Melbourne major.
The world no. 10, a two-time Grand Slam singles titleholder with seven more and Olympic gold in doubles play, didn’t specify a return timeline but reassured fans she was working hard to ensure a successful rehabilitation without any setbacks.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to share a quick update regarding my withdrawal from the Australian Open. Unfortunately my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed.
It’s really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarterfinals last year. Thanks to all of you for your support, I’m working hard to get back to full health, and can’t wait to see you on court soon!”
Krejcikova, who reached last year’s quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion and two-time defending titlist Aryna Sabalenka, will be replaced in the main draw by Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz who’ll hope for better luck in 2025. The 33-year-old’s best Major result came in Melbourne with a pair of third-round finishes (2022-23) but she failed to surpass qualifying across all four Grand Slam tournaments last season.
Wozniacki ended her three-and-a-half year retirement in the summer of 2023 with infrequent spells of success playing a selective schedule since.
However the 34-year-old Dane, who won the Australian Open in 2018 and was twice a runner-up at Flushing Meadows (2009, 2014) hasn’t played since a three-set defeat by Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in the US Open’s Round-of-16 stage last September.
Two-time Major finalist and 2019 Australian Open semifinalist Pliskova meanwhile, endured an unexpected string of poor results after reaching the Nottingham (WTA 250) final last summer, where she lost to inspired home favourite Katie Boulter.
Five defeats in an eight-match span followed, before she retired injured just three points into her US Open second-round clash against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
Wozniacki will be replaced by Yuliia Starodubtseva, while Pliskova’s place will be taken by Canada’s seasoned veteran Rebecca Marino. Main draw play begins on Sunday, January 12 with the qualifying competition starting this coming Monday.
Picture source: Getty Images
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