Emma Radukanu is out of the first tournament of the new season due to injury.
The 22-year-old was forced to pull out of the ASB Classic in Auckland due to a back problem.
“I tried everything to be ready,” Raducanu said WTA website. “I love Oakland and the fans here, but unfortunately I’ve come to my senses and won’t be ready in time.”
The tournament was to be Radukanu’s first since hiring renowned fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura.
The former British number one has struggled with fitness since her stunning 2021 US Open win, and she missed two months with a foot injury at the end of last season.
Radukanu trained at the National Tennis Center in London, helping Britain reach the semi-finals of the Billie Jean King Cup last month, before switching to warmer weather over Christmas.
She finished sixth in Auckland and was due to face 20-year-old American Robin Montgomery in her opening match, which also features former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Sofia Kenin.
It is another blow for Radukanu as this latest injury problem will not help him prepare for the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, which starts on January 12.
