Kvitova withdraws from Hopman Cup

The Czech suffered a stress fracture in her right foot, but was still hopeful of featuring at the team event starting January 1. But the two-time Wimbledon champion said her recovery had been slower than expected, leading to her withdrawal on Tuesday.

Czech Petra Kvitova is yet to recover from her foot injury.

World No. 11 Petra Kvitova is set for a delayed start to the new season after pulling out of the Hopman Cup due to her foot injury.

The Czech suffered a stress fracture in her right foot, but was still hopeful of featuring at the team event starting January 1. But the two-time Wimbledon champion said her recovery had been slower than expected, leading to her withdrawal on Tuesday.

"I am so disappointed that I cannot play at the @hopmancup," Kvitova wrote on Twitter.

"The results of an MRI have confirmed that my foot is healing, but not as quickly we would have liked.

"The Hopman Cup is a fantastic event and I'm sorry I won't be able to represent my country there."

Lucie Hradecka replaces Kvitova for the event in Perth, teaming up with Adam Pavlasek.

The setback is a blow to Kvitova's Australian Open preparations, with the left-hander having failed to go beyond the third round at the year's first grand slam since reaching the semi-finals in 2012.