Russia's Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Australian Open, she announced on Sunday.
The 2008 Australian Open champion said she was making steady progress from a shoulder injury but was not fit enough to compete in the first grand slam of the year, starting January 19.
"I am very sorry to announce that I am not going to be able to defend my title at this year's Australian Open," she said in a statement.
"My shoulder is doing great but I just started training a few weeks ago and I am just not near the level I need to be to compete at the highest levels."
Sharapova won her first Australian Open title last year when she beat Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the final at Melbourne Park but has not played since August.
The 21-year-old won her first 18 matches in 2008 to briefly reclaim the number one ranking before injury struck at Montreal, forcing her to withdraw from last year's Beijing Olympics and the US Open.
"I know she has been working around the clock to try and get back from the shoulder injury. In the end, time beat her this year," Australian Open tournament Director Craig Tiley said.
"We wish her well with her return to tennis and look forward to seeing her back in Melbourne next year."
Sharapova is the first major casualty for this year's Australian Open but the fifth champion in the last eight years not to defend their singles title.
Andre Agassi (2001 winner), Serena Williams (2003), Justine Henin-Hardenne (2004) and Marat Safin (2005) also missed the first grand slam of the year because of injury.
Players have long been demanding the Australian Open, which is traditionally held in the last two weeks of January, be moved back to March to allow them to play in cooler conditions and enable them to take a longer break between seasons.
Tennis Australia officials did agree to push the 2007 tournament back one week but later scrapped the plan and reverted to the original dates.
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