Dinara Safina has pulled out of Wimbledon.
The former world number one has struggled all season with a back injury after retiring from her fourth round match against Maria Kirilenko back in January.
She is suffering from a double stress fracture and ruptured muscles in her back and her path back to some sort of fitness has been a long one.
She retuned to action in Stuttgart back in April, after having three months on the sidelines, but has struggled with her form.
She did win her opening match in Stuttgart but ha since failed to get a win under her belt crashing out early in Rome, Madrid and the French Open, where she was runner up the year before.
Spain’s Maria Martiznez Sanchez is also out of the third Grand Slam of the year as she is struggling with a knee injury.
They will be replaced by Melanie Oudin and Kateryna Bondarenko as the tournament gets underway on Monday.
Safina and Sanchez follow in the footsteps of Elena Dementieva who has also pulled out because of injury.
The Russian retired from her French Open semi final with Francesca Schivone with a thigh problem and her participation at SW19 was always in doubt.
On the men’s side Radek Stepanek and Ivo Karlovic are the noticeable names that will be absent from the draw.
The big serving Karlovic is currently out with a foot injury while Stepanek has a knee injury.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
by Helen Earnshaw
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