Melbourne, Australia – Germany's Andrea Petkovic has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to a stress fracture in her lower back.
Petkovic was slated to be the 10th seed in the first major tournament of 2012, but persistent back problems forced her to pull out of the event.
Petkovic said after a Tuesday second-round loss to Agnieszka Radwanska at a tournament in Sydney, she decided to have an MRI and a CT scan. The results showed the stress fracture.
"The only thing I can do right now is rest - not walking or sitting a lot - just lying down and hoping that the bone will heal as fast as possible," Petkovic said.
She added that it'll take her six-to-eight weeks to recover from the injury.
"I'm really disappointed because I love Australia," she said. "It's funny, I actually tore my ACL here, but on the other hand I also made my first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal here (2011). So either it's a big high or a big low! I am so sorry that I won't be seeing my fans in Melbourne, because I love the Australians and feel like we have a great connection."
The Aussie Open will get underway next Monday in Melbourne.
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