5 Jan 2013

World number one tennis player withdraws from Brisbane International

9:21 am on 5 January 2013

The world number one tennis player, Victoria Azarenka has protected her Australian Open title defence plans by withdrawing from the Brisbane International with a toe infection.

The 23-year-old pulled out just half an hour before her much-anticipated semi-final showdown with world number three Serena Williams yesterday.

Azarenka was the second big name to withdraw from the Brisbane event following French Open champion Maria Sharapova who has a collarbone injury.