Petkovic out of Open with stress fracture
Thursday, 12 January 2012
SYDNEY, Jan 11 (AFP): World number 10 Andrea Petkovic pulled out of the Australian Open with a stress fracture in her back on Wednesday, becoming the second leading women's withdrawal from the year's opening grand slam.
The exciting German joined seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams, who has an autoimmune disease, on the sidelines, while Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams are among the other top players who are also battling injuries.
Petkovic said the stress fracture in her lower back came to light in a scan after her straight- sets loss to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round of the Sydney International on Tuesday.
"I've been having some back problems for the last three or four months," she said in a WTA statement.
The exciting German joined seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams, who has an autoimmune disease, on the sidelines, while Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams are among the other top players who are also battling injuries.
Petkovic said the stress fracture in her lower back came to light in a scan after her straight- sets loss to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round of the Sydney International on Tuesday.
"I've been having some back problems for the last three or four months," she said in a WTA statement.