Madison Keys to miss 2024 Australian Open due to shoulder injury

Madison Keys joined Karolina Muchova on the list of high-profile withdrawals from the upcoming Australian Open on Thursday when she announced she would be forced to miss the first major tournament of the 2024 season due to injury.

“Hi everyone…” tweeted the former world No. 7. “Unfortunately I’ve been struggling with a shoulder injury & have been advised by my medical staff to withdraw from the @AustralianOpen this year. This obviously isn’t the best news to start the tennis season, but I also know I’m making the right choice for my body.”

Keys has made the semifinals of the Australian Open on two occasions, first in 2015 as a 19-year-old and again in 2022: both times she lost to the eventual champion, Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty.

The American ended the 2023 Grand Slam season on an optimistic note, stunning then-world No. 3 Jessica Pegula en route to the semifinals of the US Open, where she narrowly lost to ascending world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka despite serving for the match.

“I think everyone at the start of the tournament would obviously be really, really excited to be in the semis,” a dejected Keys said after the match. “Right now it sucks. But yeah, I just think being able to take this and turn it to a positive is really possible. Yeah, there is still a lot to be proud of and still tons of tennis to play this season.”

Keys was last on court at the end of the season, having qualified for the WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai; she lost in the round-robin stage.

Muchova announced her absence from the Australian Open at the end of December, citing a persistent wrist injury.

The 2024 Australian Open will begin on Sunday, January 14.