Tuesday 5 January 2016 08:56, UK
Defending champion Maria Sharapova and top seed Simona Halep have pulled out of the Brisbane International due to injuries.
Sharapova withdrew from the season-opening event with a left forearm injury, saying it was a precautionary decision taken ahead of the Australian Open later this month.
"I hurt my forearm in practice a couple of days ago," the world No 4 and third seed said in a statement.
"This is such a special event for me, especially being the defending champion. I'm looking forward to seeing all my fans in Brisbane next year."
Ekaterina Makarova was due to play her fellow countrywoman Sharapova in the first round on Tuesday but will now take on another Russian, Margarita Gasparyan, instead.
Sharapova's decision not to risk her Australian Open campaign comes after the latter half of her 2015 season was wrecked by injuries, first to her right leg which forced her to miss the US Open.
The 28-year-old retired from her comeback match at the Wuhan Open in China in September with a left forearm injury, only returning for the WTA Tour finals in Singapore at the end of October.
She was joined on the sidelines at Brisbane by Romanian world No 2 Halep, who blamed a left leg injury for her decision to pull out.
Halep said she first injured her Achilles in August and had been experiencing some pain over the past two weeks, but is expected to be fit for the Australian Open and intends to play in Sydney next week.
"I thought that I was ready to play - I came here like I wanted to play, to start the year here, but I cannot have a full match, and I thought that it's more important to be ready and to take a break," she said.
"It's nothing dangerous. I did an MRI and it's nothing dangerous, but it's still an inflammation. I have just to take a few days' rest."
Halep was due to play former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka in the second round, but she will now face Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure instead.
