Rafael Nadal, Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka: Who’s playing 2024 Australian Open & who’s missing first major of tennis year?

Who is playing the 2024 Australian Open? And who is missing out?

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka will be defending singles champions, with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff among those with their sights set on a first Melbourne title.

Ahead of the tournament, we round up who’s playing and who’s missing out…

Nadal is a two-time champion at the Australian Open, memorably winning in 2022 after four months out with injury.

He will be unseeded at the Grand Slam as he will be entering with a protected ranking (designated to players who are out of action for six months or longer to enable them to enter tournaments), meaning he could draw Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz or any of the top-32 ranked players in the first round.

Naomi Osaka has some good memories of the Australian Open, having won two of her four Grand Slam titles in Melbourne.

Her last win in 2021 was the most recent title of her career.

Emma Raducanu will be at the Australian Open, but might need to come through qualifying to make the main draw.

She is able to use a protected ranking at the Australian Open but it is not high enough to secure a main-draw place.

She could still get an automatic place in the main draw if two more players withdraw.

Angelique Kerber will be making her comeback at the Australian Open.

The former world No. 1 gave birth to daughter Liana earlier this year and hasn’t played since Wimbledon 2022.

She started her comeback by playing for Germany at the United Cup this month and will then be entering the Australian Open, which she won in 2016.

The comeback started in the summer for Caroline Wozniacki as she came out of retirement and played three tournaments.

Wozniacki, who hasn’t played since reaching the last 16 of the US Open, got a wildcard for the Australian Open, where she won her only Grand Slam title in 2018.

Nick Kyrgios will be missing his home Grand Slam for the second year in a row.

The big-serving Australian was playing the best tennis of his career in the summer of 2022 as he reached the Wimbledon final, won singles and doubles in Washington DC, and made the US Open quarters.

However, he only played one match in 2023 after undergoing surgery and is not ready to return in time for the Australian Open.

“Obviously heartbreaking. I’ve had so many amazing memories there, and I just want to really get back to playing at the top of my game and doing it right, and I need a little more time.”

World No. 8 Karolina Muchova will miss the Australian Open due to a recurring wrist problem.

Muchova hasn’t played since making the semis of the US Open and missed the WTA Finals due to the wrist injury.

Speaking about her decision to withdraw from the first Grand Slam of the season, she said: “This isn’t my favourite thing to share especially at the start of a new season, but unfortunately the pain in a wrist came back in the middle of my tennis preparation.

“It’s frustrating but I have to keep positive, recover and get ready for the rest of the year. See you in 2025 Australian Open.”

Belinda Bencic has played the Australian Open every year since 2014, but that streak will come to an end this year.

The Olympic champion announced that she is pregnant in November, saying on Instagram: “Expecting our little miracle soon.”

Bencic played her last tournament in San Diego in September 2023.

“While I will miss my annual trip to Australia and competing in the sport I love, I’m looking forward to spending some time at home preparing for this exciting new chapter in our lives,” said the 33-year-old.

Kvitova, who finished her 2023 season in Beijing in early October, made the final of the Australian Open in 2019, losing to Naomi Osaka.

Former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu will miss the Australian Open.

Andreescu, 23, hasn’t played since losing her opening match at the Canadian Open in August due to a back problem.

“Right now I’m looking at (returning) after the Australia Open or the American Tour, so Indian Wells…maybe. We’re very close but right now I am still dealing with my back injury.

“It is getting better every single day and I am doing everything I can to get there as fast as possible but these things take time. I’m feeling very confident for 2024.”

Venus Williams, 43, has played the Australian Open 21 times and made the final in 2003 and 2017.

But she won’t be back this year as she continues to recover from injury.

“So my goal is to be up and running when tournaments come back to the US.”