Back injury forces Dinara Safina to withdraw

A back injury has forced Russia's Dinara Safina to pull out of the Brisbane International, one of the main leadup events to the Australian Open.

Brisbane organisers said Safina had informed them she would not be fit in time for the Jan. 3-10 event.

"Safina was very much looking forward to starting her year in Brisbane and it is a real shame that she will not be fit in time to attend," tournament director Steve Ayles said in a statement on Friday.

"I know she would have been working around the clock to try to be ready for the event but in the end time has beat her and she is still undergoing treatment."

A spokeswoman for Tennis Australia told Reuters Safina had only notified them of her decision to withdraw from Brisbane and was still expected to compete at the Australian Open, starting in Melbourne on Jan. 18.

Safina finished runner-up to Serena Williams at this year's Australian Open.