Madrid, Feb. 2 -- The recently crowned Australian Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz, has withdrawn from the Rotterdam Open, the tournament made the announcement on social media on Monday.

Alcaraz had secured this ATP 500 event title last season, beating Alex de Minaur in the final. But he would not be defending this hard-court crown. The competition will be taking place from February 9-16. Top 10-ranked stars like Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and de Minaur will be featuring in the competition.

"Carlos Alcaraz won't defend his title in Rotterdam. The Australian Open champion concluded that after his exertions over the past two weeks, he needs more time to return to action. We wish Carlos a swift recovery. #ABNAMROOpen #RotterdamAh...