The Australian Open is fast shaping up as a case of last man standing as many of the game’s biggest names fight to be fit for the season’s first grand slam.
Japanese star Kei Nishikori added to the concerns of Open officials on Thursday when he withdrew with a wrist injury.
“My rehab is going well but I am just not ready 100 per cent to come back yet in best-of-five set matches,” Nishikori said.
The former world No.4 and US Open finalist’s absence follows doubts over the fitness of grand slam giants Rafael Nadal (knee), Novak Djokovic (elbow), Andy Murray (hip) and Stan Wawrinka (knee).
Djokovic, Murray and Wawrinka haven’t played since Wimbledon almost six months ago, while Nadal withdrew from this week’s Brisbane International after canning a Christmas training block in Majorca.
Djokovic and Wawrinka also pulled out of last week’s exhibition event in Dubai, but are hopeful of returning to competitive tennis at the Open after joining Nadal in committing to the Tie Break Tens at Melbourne Park next Wednesday.
Djokovic also announced on Thursday that he would take part in the Kooyong Classic exhibition, raising hope his longstanding elbow problem won’t cruel his hopes of challenging for a record-setting seventh men’s Open crown from January 15.
In addition to doubts around four of the sport’s so-called Big Five and Nishikori’s withdrawal, world No.8 Jack Sock also quit his Hopman Cup match on Tuesday after hurting his hip in a nasty on-court fall in Perth.
The women’s Open could also be hit with superstar withdrawals as tennis mums Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are both in doubt.
Williams was coy about her plans to defend her title after losing to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai last week.
While pleased with her performance in her first match since having her first child in September, the 23-times grand slam champion said she was unsure if she was ready for the Open.
Two-time Open champion and fellow former world No.1 Azarenka pulled out of the Auckland Classic for “personal reasons” as the Belarusian continues to battle for custody of her son with her former American partner.
