A notable player withdraws from the 2026 Australian Open just before the start

The 2026 Australian Open will officially commence on January 18th according to Vietnam time.

Alex de Minaur receives great news ahead of the tournament 2026 Australian Open when his expected first-round opponent, Matteo Berrettini, unexpectedly pulled out due to health issues. The Italian player was replaced by Mackenzie McDonald, who earned a spot as a "lucky loser" to enter the main draw, thus helping De Minaur avoid a tough challenge on his opening day at Melbourne Park.

Berrettini, a former world No. 6 and Wimbledon finalist, had to stop a warm-up match at Melbourne Park because of illness. The 30-year-old only managed to play one match against Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (Norway) at the Red Bull Bassline event on the evening of January 16th, then withdrew from the remaining matches in the program.

The news of Berrettini withdrawing from the first Grand Slam of the year was confirmed by the Australian Open on its social media platforms the following day, though no detailed information about his health condition was provided. In a brief statement, the Italian player expressed his regret: "I am truly sorry to have to withdraw from the tournament. I have always enjoyed being here and competing, as well as feeling the incredible support from all of you… I hope to see everyone again soon."

Berrettini’s withdrawal extends his ongoing physical struggles following a 2025 season heavily impacted by injury. At last year’s Australian Open, he was eliminated in the second round. The same injury recurred, causing him to pull out of both Roland Garros and the US Open. Nevertheless, he managed to return by the end of the year and played a key role in helping Italy win the Davis Cup in November.

For De Minaur, this is considered a significant boost, as previously he trailed Berrettini 3-2 in their head-to-head record. Instead of facing a tough challenge right in the opening round, the world No. 6 will now face McDonald — an opponent he has beaten twice before, most recently in Rotterdam in 2022.

Although avoiding Berrettini, De Minaur’s path ahead is still expected to be challenging. After round one, he could face either Mariano Navone or Hamad Medjedovic, before potentially meeting Frances Tiafoe in round three. Subsequent hurdles might include Alexander Bublik in round four, and then Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.