DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Australia Open champion Victoria Azarenka has become the fourth top woman to pull out of the Dubai Tennis Championships because of illness or injury, joining Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, French Open winner Li Na and Vera Zvonareva.
The top-ranked Azarenka injured her left ankle during last week’s semifinal match at the Qatar Open, which she went on to win.
The 22-year-old Azarenka was the top top-seeded player at the Dubai tournament and was scheduled to play her opening match against Julia Goerges of Germany later Wednesday.
Kvitova, Li and Zvonareva pulled out Tuesday.
Azarenka says she’ll take a break from tennis to let the ankle heal and plans to go home to Belarus to spend time with her family.
