Matteo Berrettini was set to face Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the first round of the 2026 Australian Open. Fans were eagerly anticipating a clash between two powerful, hard‑hitting players. But just days before the match was due to begin, Berrettini shared the heartbreaking news that he would be withdrawing from the tournament.

The week had already hinted at trouble. On Friday night, the former Wimbledon finalist played a single exhibition match against Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer at the Red Bull Bassline event, but he retired from his other scheduled matches due to illness. The following day, Berrettini officially withdrew from the Australian Open, sharing his message on X:

“I’m really sorry to have to withdraw from the tournament. I have always enjoyed being and playing here and feeling your incredible support. Thank you to the tournament for their fantastic organisation and I hope to see all of you again very soon.” The main reason for Matteo Berrettini’s withdrawal was a recurring oblique injury.

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On Instagram, Matteo Berrettini explained: “It’s never easy to take this kind of decisions, but unfortunately I’ve felt a discomfort in my obliques once again and I won’t be ready to perform at my best level for 5 sets,” Berrettini wrote on Instagram. “It hurts because playing in Australia has always been special and after 4 weeks of intense training I was excited and ready to get going.”

With Matteo Berrettini out, Alex de Minaur receives a significant boost ahead of his Australian Open campaign. His first-round opponent will now be Mackenzie McDonald.

But it seems Berrettini’s oblique injury has been a recurring issue over the past seasons. In 2025, he retired from the Italian Open due to an oblique injury and then ruled himself out of both the French Open and the US Open after flare-ups. Before that, he withdrew from the 2024 Australian Open on the eve of his match because of a right foot injury.

And his exit is now part of a broader trend that has been emerging in this year’s tournament.

Even before it starts, the Australian Open is already losing big names

In the 2026 Australian Open, the tournaments are getting off to an early shock, as a number of top players have been forced to pull out before playing a single ball. Chinese star Zheng Qinwen will miss the tournament due to ongoing fitness issues. The Olympic gold medalist had surgery on her elbow after Wimbledon, and despite months of rehabilitation, she has not yet regained the level required to compete at a Grand Slam.

“After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, unfortunately I will be withdrawing from the 2026 Australian Open,” Zheng wrote on Instagram. “Although my recovery is progressing well and my offseason has gone smoothly, to play a Grand Slam requires players to maintain an extreme competitive condition. Currently, I have not yet reached my best condition that I have set for myself.”

Thanasi Kokkinakis is also not playing singles at the Australian Open due to a shoulder injury that flared up recently. He had only just returned to singles competition after pectoral surgery in early 2025 and picked up a win in Adelaide before the injury worsened. After consulting with his team and doctors, he decided to withdraw from the singles draw. However, he has said he hopes to still compete in the doubles event with partner Nick Kyrgios.

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“Unfortunately after speaking with my team and doctors, I have made the decision to pull out of the Australian Open singles,” he wrote on social media. After an incredibly tough year, this was the event I was looking forward to the most, but I’m not ready yet. I’m doing everything I can to be back to 100 per cent. We will still try and step out for the doubles and have some fun.”

Then came another emotional moment. Just days before the tournament, former world No. 3 Milos Raonic announced his retirement from professional tennis, closing the door on a career that included eight ATP titles and deep runs at the majors.

“This is a moment you know will come one day, but somehow you never feel ready for it. This is as ready as I will ever be. Tennis has been my love and obsession for most of my life,” Raonic wrote in a post on social media platform X. “I have been the luckiest person to get to live out and fulfil my dreams. I got to show up every day and focus on just getting better seeing where that will take me.”

 And as the first day of competition approaches in Melbourne, the field appears very different from what fans thought they’d see.