DUBAI: Caroline Wozniacki has withdrawn from the Dubai Championships due to a viral illness, The Manila Times reported citing a dispatch from Agence France Presse, which said this happened before the former world number one’s first round match against Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele.
Wozniacki, who won the 2011 title in Dubai, also missed another tourney last week because of her health condition, which, according to the AFP report, she first felt around December and lingered through the Australian Open.
She failed to retain her Melbourne crown after losing to Maria Sharapova in the third round of this year’s tournament and is yet to return to the court, said the report.
“It sucks. I’ve gotten ready to play these two weeks (Doha and Dubai) where I usually play well,” Wozniacki was quoted as saying.
“If I can’t even play at a reasonable level, there’s no reason for me to go out there and just play one set – I want to go out there and I want to win,” she added.
Wozniacki has been replaced by losing Slovenian qualifier Polona Hercog.