8 players who will miss Australian Open 2024, ft. Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, gets underway next Sunday, January 14. While defending champion Novak Djokovic will be the favourite this year as well, the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner will also fancy their chances of achieving glory in Melbourne.

Among the women, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina will start as the favorites, with the likes of Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka also being in contention.

On the flip side, this year’s tournament will see the absence of several top players too. On that note, here's a look at eight players who will not play at the 2024 Australian Open.

#8 Reilly Opelka

Reilly Opelka

The big-serving Reilly Opelka will not play in the 2024 Australian Open due to injury.

The 26-year-old American underwent hip surgery in 2022 and has not played much tennis since then. He decided to extend his lay-off by pulling out of the first Major of the year.

Opelka's withdrawal, however, has helped Dominic Thiem make it to the main draw.

#7 Madison Keys

Madison Keys, a two-time Australian Open semifinalist (2015 and 2022), has decided to withdraw from this year’s tournament following a shoulder injury.

The 28-year-old American ran World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka close in last year's US Open semifinal. If fully fit, Keys would have been a formidable opponent for any player in Melbourne.

#6 Karolina Muchova

Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw from the Melbourne Slam owing to a wrist injury.

The World No. 9 had a terrific campaign in 2023, where she reached the final of the French Open. A former semifinalist in Melbourne (2021), Muchova would have been one of the top seeds had she been fully fit this year.

#5 Petra Kvitova

Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, has a positive reason to miss this year’s Australian Open. She is pregnant and set to deliver her first child this summer.

The 33-year-old Czech is married to Jiri Vanek, who has been her coach for a long time too.

#4 Bianca Andreescu

Bianca Andreescu

Bianca Andreescu is still nursing a back injury that has kept her out of action since last August.

The 23-year-old is a former US Open champion and one of the best players on hardcourt when fully fit. She has recently hinted that she might make a comeback at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March.

#3 Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios

This is the second successive Australian Open Nick Kyrgios is going to miss. The Aussie had knee surgery last year, and subsequently hurt his wrist too. He played just one match in the whole year of 2023, at the Stuttgart Open.

Kyrgios would have been a force to reckon with on home soil, but it was not to be this year.

#2 Venus Williams

Venus Williams

Another big name to miss the Melbourne Major this year is Venus Williams.

The 43-year-old plays sparingly these days, and has decided against participating at the Australian Open as a precautionary measure. However, the American intends to play the Sunshine Double in March.

#1 Rafael Nadal

The news of Rafael Nadal's absence from the 2024 Australian Open has come as a shock to the tennis world. The 37-year-old made a comeback to tennis after a year at the Brisbane International but was knocked out by Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

Nadal also suffered a muscle tear in the process, which has forced him out of the tournament he has won two times in his career so far — in 2009 and 2022.