Alcaraz to return in tennis charity event

The US Open champion won't play any Australian Open lead-in tournaments, with his first appearance to come in the Tennis Plays for Peace charity event at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on January 11.

All funds raised from the event will support the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by UNICEF Australia and Global Giving, which are providing help on the ground.

Australian Alex de Minaur, Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Maria Sakkari, Alex Zverev and Frances Tiafoe have also been confirmed for the event, with more to be announced closer to the event.

Ukraine's Leonid Stanislavskyi will be a special guest at the event, the 98-year-old officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest tennis player.

He's challenged Adelaide's fellow 98-year-old Henry Young to a match on Rod Laver Arena.