Garbine Muguruza out in Brisbane with blistered feet
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 06/01/16 3:24pm
Garbine Muguruza was behind to Varvara Lepchenko when blistered feet forced her to retire
Garbine Muguruza joined the list of casualties at the Brisbane International as blistered feet forced her retirement.
The world No 3 was trailing 6-7 (9-11) 0-1 in her second-round match against Varvara Lepchenko when she quit with her movement restricted by a heavily bandaged left foot.
Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep pulled out of the Australian Open warm-up before their first-round ties, and Muguruza's withdrawal leaves fourth seed Angelique Kerber as the highest-ranked remaining player.
Kerber beat American Madison Brengle 6-3 6-0 to set up a quarter-final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, while Lepchenko faces Carla Suarez Navarro in the last eight.