World number one Carlos Alcaraz cannot take part in the Australian Open due to injury.

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis shooting star announced this on Friday evening via Twitter.

In training before the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, he suffered a muscle injury in his right rear thigh.

"When I was in top form, I injured myself with an unnatural movement," wrote the 2022 US Open winner: "I was working very hard.

It's a difficult moment, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look ahead."

Alcaraz already missed the ATP finals in Turin and the Davis Cup with the Spanish team at the end of last year.

At that time, a torn muscle in the left abdominal wall, which he suffered in the quarterfinals of the Masters in Paris at the beginning of November, put him out of action.

In the duel with the Dane Holger Rune, the Spaniard had to give up, it will be his last game so far.

In September, after his final victory in New York over the Norwegian Casper Ruud, Alcaraz rose to become the youngest number one in tennis history.

There is also a prominent cancellation for the first major tournament of the year among women: the seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams is also absent.

Due to an unspecified injury she sustained this week at a tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, she will not be able to play in Melbourne, the organizers announced on Saturday.

The 42-year-old was given a wildcard for the Australian Open last month to be able to compete in her 22nd major at Melbourne Park.

The Australian Kim Birrell now gets her wild card place.

The five-time Wimbledon champion has struggled with injuries over the past two years and was only able to play four tournaments in the United States last August.

At these tournaments, she did not progress past the first round and ended her season by losing to Alison van Uytvanck at the US Open.

Swiatek is also questionable

There is also a question mark for Melbourne behind Iga Swiatek.

The world number one from Poland canceled her participation in the upcoming WTA event in Adelaide due to problems with her right shoulder.

It is considered a dress rehearsal for the tournament in Melbourne.

On Friday, Swiatek, reigning winner of the French Open and the US Open, had to accept a 2: 6, 2: 6 against the American Jessica Pegula at the United Cup for Poland and shed bitter tears at the end.

The Australian Open will be held in Melbourne from January 16th to 29th, Grand Slam record winner Rafael Nadal is now number one on the men's seed list.

In addition to the Spaniard, Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev from Russia should have the best chance of winning the title.

The German Olympic champion Alexander Zverev is making his Grand Slam comeback after an injury break of almost seven months.