With Christmas over and New Year’s Eve just around the corner, we are one step closer to the tennis season starting all over again.
As fans of this sport, we are blessed with an incredible short off-season, meaning there are very few times in the year when there is absolutely no tennis being played.
Whilst this is a point of real contention for the players, understandably, it does leave supporters of this sport constantly satisfied.
The Australian Open is so close to kick-starting the new season with a bang, but for one ATP star, he will sadly not be able to compete this year.
David Goffin explains why he has pulled out of the Australian Open
The man in question is David Goffin, who has now taken to Instagram to reveal why he will not be playing at this year’s Australian Open.
Currently ranked 119th in the world, the Belgian would have had to enter through qualifying.
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However, with a persisting injury issue present, he felt it was best not to strain it by training to gain entry into the main draw of the major.
Goffin wrote: “Taking a little more time before returning to competition. Some knee discomfort remains, so I’m giving it the time it needs. Thank you for all the support and see you in 2026.”
Jennifer Brady will compete in her first Grand Slam in three years at the Australian Open though, marking a contrasting positive story to come out of this upcoming major.
Carlos Alcaraz will breathe a sigh of relief with this news
Although players would never wish ill health on one another, Carlos Alcaraz will surely be glad not to have to face the prospect of encountering an unseeded Goffin early on at the Australian Open.
After all, the Spaniard is currently suffering a 1-2 deficit in their head-to-head, having been blown away by the 35-year-old this very year in Miami.
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There, Goffin came from a set down to dump out Alcaraz, making a second-straight win for him against the current world number one.
Alcaraz’s desperation to win the Australian Open is one he has not been afraid of making public.
Therefore, the erasure of any potential banana skins, particularly those who have tripped him up so recently, will be good news for the 22-year-old seeking glory in Melbourne.
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