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Djokovic joins the list: the great absences that the Australian Open will have

Tonight the action begins at the Australian Open. At about 9:00 p.m. in Chile, the first paleteos will resound between the different courts of Melbourne Park, kicking off the important tournaments of 2022. But not all of them will be there. Different heavyweights of the circuit could not say present in the first Grand Slam of the year. Novak Djokovic was the latest to join a list that includes the names of Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Dominic Thiem.

It is difficult to start this list without Serbian. His absence will undoubtedly be the most talked about in the tournament, and probably the one that ends up being the most significant, at least by context and level. Nole is always the biggest contender for the title in Melbourne as much of his career has been built on Australian tarmac. Nine of his Grand Slams (including the first) he got there and in this 2022 he arrived as triple defending champion. A monarchy that will break this year. He may even lose the world number one if Medvedev or Zverev end up lifting the trophy.

An absence confirmed for a long time, but that in any case continues to affect. The injury to his left knee still keeps “Rog” in recovery, so his presence in Australia was impossible. Sad news for local fans, who have always shown their preference for the Swiss. His last great was achieved in Oceania, when in 2018 he beat Marin Cilic in the final. His return is only expected to take place at Wimbledon.

Federer during his last participation in Australia. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo)

The curse of the Grand Slam 24 is still present for Serena. The American, who has been a seven-time champion in Australia, confirmed in December that she would not be able to play the Open after a recommendation from her doctors. “Although it is not an easy decision to make, I am not at an optimal physical level to be able to compete”He explained on his social networks. A measure that will have consequences on your ranking. The former number one, who is currently ranked 47th in the WTA ranking, could even be out of the Top 100 after the tournament is over, since he will not be able to get the 780 units he was defending.

Serena fell in the semifinals of the Australian Open in 2021. (REUTERS / Loren Elliott)

Nicolás Massú’s pupil will not be in the state of Victoria during these weeks either. Dominic follows the recovery process of the wrist injury that has kept him inactive since June of last year. The last tournament that the Austrian played was the ATP in Mallorca, just after his participation in Roland Garros. Although many expected Thiem to return to the circuit for the Australian Open (he reached the final in 2020), his return will be made on the South American tour, where he will participate in the Chile Open.

The young Canadian, former number four in the world, had no problem explaining that her absence from the Australian Open is due to the difficulties she has had in recovering physically and mentally from the Covid-19 pandemic. “This year I spent several weeks in quarantine, which affected me a lot. Also, my grandmother was in intensive care for several weeks for a Covid-19 infection, which is why I want to give myself some extra time to recover and work on myself because I know that by doing this, I will come back stronger than ever.”, the 2019 US Open champion commented at the time.

The number four in the world was left wanting to be present in Australia. Despite the fact that it was in his program to play the tournament, an injury to his right hand during his preseason He sent that to the trash can. This caused that in addition to the Grand Slam, the Czech was deleted from the Adelaide and Sydney tournaments.

Another champion who will not be in the first big of the year. The Swiss had a 2021 for oblivion where he could only play four tournaments in the season, the last being in Doha in March. That is why he is currently working hard to be able to return to the circuit as soon as possible. Although There is no date for his return yet., the European dreams of returning to the level that made him take the title at the Rod Laver Arena, when in 2014 he beat Rafael Nadal in the final.

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