Tamira Paszek is taking an indefinite break from tennis after being diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain disorder.
The 26-year-old winner of three WTA titles announced her decision via her Instagram account.
"As many of you have been asking why I am not to be seen on court, I have been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia and am unsure when I will be able to return back to competition," she said.
"As it is very likely to take some time to heal up and for the pain to go away the chances are high that I will only be back on tour in 2018.
"I am remaining very positive and am trying to make the best out of my current situation.
Enjoying life to the fullest, travelling to places I haven't been to, spending lots of time with my family and friends, learning new languages, gathering lots of new memories and finding new motivation and inspiration for my time back on the court.
"I really appreciate your continuous support, I can't wait to be back."
Paszek hasn't played on the WTA Tour since September 2016, and failed to win a game before pulling out of two lower-level matches this year.
Paszek was 15 when she won her first title in Portoroz, Slovenia, in 2006. In a career marred by injuries, she also won in Quebec in 2010 and Eastbourne in 2012 before reaching a career-high 26th the following year.
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