Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki and Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova become the third and fourth WTA players to pull out of the Brisbane International. Lisicki cited a gastrointestinal illness prior to her match with Stefanie Voegele, while Pavlyuchenkova, who reached the final last year, retried from her match against Angelique Kerber down 6-2, 6-3 with a left thigh injury.
Lisicki and Pavlyuchenkova joined Aussie teenager Ashleigh Barty and former No. 1 Carline Wozniacki on the sidelines in the first WTA Premier-level event of the year. The 17-year-old Aussie qualified for the event and upset Daniela Hantuchova before pulling out with a left adductor tear. She also withdrew from next week’s Hobart International, but hopes to be ready for the Australian Open.
“The injury has just come about from overload, I’ve played four really tough singles matches in the past week so now it’s just about getting my body right,” Barty said. “I’ve got enough time to be fit for the Australian Open, it’s just a matter of managing the injury and hopefully I’ll be back on court soon.”
Wozniacki pulled out Brisbane with a shoulder injury and hopes to be back for the Sydney tournament, which begins next week.
In other news from Sydney on the ATP side, world No. 13 Nicolas Almagro pulled out with a shoulder injury.