Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from the Australian Open owing to a knee injury.
Andreescu sustained the injury at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen in October, from which she withdrew after retiring in her match with Karoliona Pliskova.
The Canadian, who stunned Serena Williams in the final of the 2019 US Open, explained that she and her doctors decided she had not made enough progress in her rehabilitation to play at the year's first Grand Slam in Melbourne.
In a post on Twitter , she wrote: "Hey guys, just wanted to give you a little update on my knee rehab after I got injured at the WTA finals in Shenzhen.
"My rehab is going well, I feel better and stronger every day but after discussing it with my team and following the recommendation of the doctors, the Australian Open is unfortunately too soon in my rehab process and I sadly will not be able to play in it this year.
"It was a very tough decision to make as I love to play in Melbourne but I have to respect the recuperation plan for my knee and body. I can’t wait to come back to Aus soon."
Andreescu's incredible victory at Flushing Meadows was the highlight of a superb 2019 for the 19-year-old, which saw her rise to number four in the world. She has since dropped to number six.
The teenager also claimed glory at Indian Wells and the Rogers Cup and enjoyed a 17-match winning streak in which she did not lose a single completed contest, with a run that started in March finally ended by Naomi Osaka in October at the China Open.
Her withdrawal will remove a significant obstacle for defending champion Osaka, as well as the likes of Williams, Ash Barty and Simona Halep, as Andreescu focuses on her continued recovery and the French Open.
Aside from her run in New York, Andreescu has never gone beyond the second round of a major and will hope she is fit enough to change that fact at Roland Garros in May.
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