Dinara Safina To Take Tennis Break

Dinara Safina has revealed that she is to take an indefinite break from tennis.

The announcement comes less than a fortnight before the French Open, the second Grand slam event of the year.

The former world number one returned to the game at the beginning of the year after being sidelined with a serious back injury.

But that recovery suffered a set back at the Andalucia Tennis Championships last month when she was forced to pull out of a clash with Victoria Azarenka in the quarter finals.

But now Safina has decided to take a break for the game and does not know when she may return.

"I don't know how long my time out (from the game) is going to last because I don't want to torture myself and my body anymore," Safina was quoted as saying by Russian media.

"I'm just tired of hearing constant questions from my coach during training 'How is your back? Can you do this exercise?' I'm just tired of fighting with myself.

"At the moment I can't do anything tennis-wise. When I can do certain moves without feeling lots of pain, then I would consider resuming my training.

"Right now I don't care when I might return -- this summer during the American hardcourt series, toward the end of the season or next year," Safina said.

"I'll take as much time as I need."

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw