2023 Wimbledon winner Markéta Vondroušová has been forced to withdraw from the Australian Open, after being unable to overcome a shoulder injury.
The 26-year-old was set to face American Hailey Baptiste on Sunday in the first round, who will instead face fellow American Taylor Townsend, who will take Vondroušová's spot in the tournament.
Townsend lost in the final round of qualifying to Australian Storm Hunter, but will now get her shot in the absence of Vondroušová as a lucky loser.
Upon withdrawing, Vondroušová released a statement explaining her decision to withdraw from the tournament.
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"I'm really sorry that I had to withdraw from the Australian Open due to ongoing shoulder issues," she said.
"After everything I've been dealing with, I need to prioritize my health, even though this decision wasn't easy. Thank you all for your understanding and support."
After reaching the French Open final in 2019, Vondroušová broke through for her first grand slam in 2023 at Wimbledon.
Vondroušová has never made it past the fourth round of the Australian Open, but currently ranked 34th in the world, looked set for a strong start to the year after missing the tournament last year.