Petra Kvitova unable to defend Sydney title

Defending champion Petra Kvitova and second seed Agnieszka Radwanska have both withdrawn from this week's Australian Open warm-up event, the Sydney International.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova has not recovered from the gastro-intestinal illness which forced her to pull out of the Shenzhen Open during her first round match last week.

And, although Radwanska triumphed in that tournament, she picked up a left leg injury which now requires some rest.

Kvitova will go into the Australian Open short of practice, having not played a competitive match since the Fed Cup final in November.

Announcing her decision to sit out the Sydney event, the world No 6 said: "I'm really disappointed to have to withdraw but unfortunately I am still not feeling well.

"Being defending champion, this tournament obviously means a lot to me, and I've always had a wonderful time playing this event.

"I look forward to coming back in future years to play."

Radwanska conversely, will arrive in Melbourne for the Australian Open bang-in-form if her leg recovers, having won in China without dropping a set and climbed into the world's top four.

"I'm really sorry that I can't play in Sydney this week," she said.

"I am feeling very confident in my game at the moment and the results are there but, after five matches in the past week, my leg needs some recovery time."

Meanwhile, former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard says she is just happy to be competing in Australia this month after a disappointing 2015 in which she struggled for form and then suffered a concussion when she slipped over in the locker room at the US Open.

Bouchard reached the quarter finals in Shenzhen and will continue her rehabilitation in Hobart this week.

"A month or two ago I wasn't even sure I could play the Australian Open so I'm just so happy to be in Australia, looking forward to playing these two tournaments with zero expectations," said the 21-year-old Canadian.

"I'm feeling good. I didn't want to play if I wasn't somewhat prepared, so I worked really hard in the off season to try and catch up a bit."