Injured Karolina Pliskova out of Australian Open

Melbourne: World number four Karolina Pliskova has withdrawn from next month’s Australian Open with a hand injury sustained in training, the player said on Thursday in a statement released by tournament organisers.

The 29-year-old reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2019, losing to eventual champion Naomi Osaka. She reached the final at Wimbledon this year before a run to the quarter-finals of the US Open.

“Unfortunately, I hurt my right hand in practice yesterday and I won’t be able to play in Adelaide, Sydney and (the) Australian Open this year,” Pliskova said.

Pliskova is the latest high-profile player to miss the Melbourne Park major with Grand Slam champions Serena Williams Bianca Andreescu and Roger Federer also absent.

The Australian Open begins on January 17.