Withdrawals have unfortunately been a common theme just as the Australian Open gets underway.
On the ATP Tour, Matteo Berrettini withdrew from the Australian Open just hours before his match against Alex de Minaur.
Meanwhile, former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from the Australian Open too, just before her match with Hailey Baptiste.
Before any action got underway, Qinwen Zheng confirmed her Australian Open withdrawal, with her fellow star Jack Draper also out of the Grand Slam.
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Marta Kostyuk confirms torn ligament in first Australian Open match
Another Australian Open withdrawal has now been confirmed, with Marta Kostyuk unable to take part in doubles after her singles exit.
Currently ranked 20th on the WTA Tour, Kostyuk was beaten 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6[7] by Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot.
But the Ukrainian rolled her ankle during the match, and needed a medical time-out when serving down 6-5 in the decider.
She had planned to play doubles with Elena-Gabriela Ruse, but Kostyuk has now posted on Instagram: “Unfortunately, I injured my ankle during my match today, and after further tests, torn ligament was confirmed, which means I won’t be able to continue at the Australian Open in doubles with my amazing partner Gabriela Ruse.
“The Australian Open has always been one of my favorite tournaments, so this isn’t how I imagined my run ending. But that’s part of the sport.
“Despite the setback, Brisbane was a great way to start the year, and I’m thankful for that momentum. Now it’s time to focus on recovery, and I’m excited to be back on court as soon as possible.
“Wishing everyone a great Australian Open!”
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Marta Kostyuk suffers injury nightmare after superb Brisbane run
It’s a hugely frustrating setback for Kostyuk, who had only just enjoyed a fantastic start to her 2026 WTA season.
She went all the way to the final of the Brisbane International, knocking out the likes of Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula.
The Ukrainian also beat Mirra Andreeva and Yulia Putintseva before Kostyuk lost the Brisbane final to world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
But Kostyuk deserves huge praise for remaining upbeat after her injury, which really can’t be easy after such superb momentum in Brisbane.
Of course, she lost her opener to Jacquemot at the Australian Open, but it could have been a much different outcome without her unfortunate injury.
Incidentally their three-hour, 31-minute epic made history as the first triple-tiebreak Australian Open match in the Open Era.
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