Agassi pulls out of Australian Open

Four-times champion Andre Agassi [Images] has withdrawn from the Australian Open with a lingering ankle injury, a statement from his management company said on Thursday.

He re-injured the ankle in his first match at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in November, prompting his withdrawal from the tournament.

He has also withdrawn from the invitational Kooyong Classic tournament in Melbourne, the week before the Australian Open begins on January 16. Agassi had played eight previous Kooyong tournaments.

"I attempted to play in Shanghai with an injury that was not fully healed, and it set me back substantially," Agassi said in the statement. "I made a commitment to myself not to play unless I can be at my absolute best.

"Unfortunately, even with the amount of training and rehabilitation I've been going through, my ankle is still not 100 percent.

"I'm disappointed that I will not be able to start the season in Melbourne, but I plan to return to the court as soon as my ankle is fully recovered."

With Agassi's withdrawal from the Melbourne Park tournament, the American will now play just two Grand Slams this year, injury permitting, Wimbledon which starts in late June and the US Open, which starts in late August.

Agassi, a champion at Melbourne Park in 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2003, said last month he would not play this year's French Open in Paris after losing in the first round of the tournament in the past two years.

He said the losses on the clay at Roland Garros had affected his preparations for Wimbledon, which is played on grass.

Agassi, who turns 36 in April, had to withdraw from Wimbledon last year due to a back injury.

He recovered in time for the US hardcourt season, winning in Los Angeles and making the final of the Canadian Masters before he made an incredible run into the US Open final.

Agassi, who was the oldest player to contest a Grand Slam final since the 39-year-old Ken Rosewall made the 1974 US Open final, lost in four sets to world number one Roger Federer [Images].

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