Stosur forced to withdraw

Stosur contracted viral meningitis in August soon after losing in the first round of the US Open to French star Alize Cornet.

In July, the world number 46 was also struck down with Lyme disease, which disrupted her US hardcourt season.

"I was flying from New York to Tampa and that's when I started to get a headache," said Stosur, who reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park in 2006.

"I put up with it all night and then by six o'clock the next morning I couldn't handle it any more and I called friends and they took me to hospital.

"They worked out within 24 hours it was viral meningitis but it took another four weeks to find out there was another underlying factor why this was happening.

"The doctors say as long as I'm careful not to push myself too hard and do a controlled rehab program the physios have set out for me, I should be fine with no-long term effects."

But Stosur, who reached the women's doubles final at the 2006 Australian Open with Lisa Raymond before the pair won the French Open, has since decided she will not be fit to compete.

"I am very disappointed I won't be able to compete during the Australian summer," said the 23-year-old, who was also scheduled to play in a warm-up tournament on the Gold Coast.

"I have been back in training for the last three weeks but I've realised that I won't be fully ready to compete at the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, which starts in six days, and I've also withdrawn from the Australian Open.

"I always love competing at home in Australia and have had some of my best results here, which makes the decision not to play especially hard. But I need to concentrate on the long-term goal of getting my health and fitness 100 percent again so I don't want to start competing again until I'm fully ready."

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, runs from January 14-27.