CZECH Lucie Safarova has succumbed to a health complication and is out of the Australian Open.
The world No. 9 is the highest-ranked women's player to withdraw from the   January 18-31 Grand Slam, citing the effects of a bacterial infection. 
The French Open singles finalist and reigning Australian Open doubles champion was hospitalised with the illness after   September's US Open.
The attacking left-hander returned to competition for the WTA Championship in Singapore but the condition prevented her contesting the Fed Cup final. Safarova said the problem had stopped her training at full intensity.
"Treatment in recent days was complicated, so I could not do training that would allow me to fly to the tournaments in Australia well prepared," she said. "That's why I decided to withdraw, to avoid (the impact) of travelling and to concentrate on my rehabilitation and gradual recovery." Safarova said the illness is still affecting her, adding medical tests were inconclusive. "My joints still ache," she said.
Safarova almost caused a monumental boilover at Roland Garros to come back from the brink of a straight-sets thrashing from Serena Williams to push the match into an edgy third set contest.She joins men's world No.9 Richard Gasquet (back) and rising South Australian star Thanasi Kokkinakis (shoulder) on the sidelines.