Illness forces Wozniacki out of Qatar Open

World no.10 Caroline Wozniacki has withdrawn from the Qatar Open in Doha because of illness.

The 2018 Australian Open champion had been due to play Czech qualifier Karolina Muchova in her first match since losing to Maria Sharapova in Melbourne last month.

“I’m sick, basically,” said the Dane. “It’s a short story. Just not feeling well. I had a fever. Yeah, I just don’t feel well. Gonna go back to bed and rest up.

NEWS: Osaka splits with coach Bajin 

“It’s definitely frustrating. I have been here for quite a few days practising and just trying my best to be prepared and ready to go today.

“I already felt it last night, but I woke up today and didn’t feel well at all. Sometimes you have to make those decisions and just need to rest up.”

Caroline Garcia also pulled out, the Frenchwoman citing a leg injury after playing Fed Cup for her country last weekend.

.@kikibertens escapes defeat to down Giorgi, 0-6, 7-6(7), 6-4!

Advances to the second round at @QatarTennis! pic.twitter.com/Lrsb2CQ3kn

— WTA (@WTA) February 12, 2019

Fifth seed Kiki Bertens, ninth seed Julia Goerges and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko were among the winners in Doha on Tuesday.

Bertens defeated Italy’s Camila Giorgi 0-6 7-6(4) 6-4, Goerges saw off Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 6-2, and Ostapenko battled past Romania’s Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-14-6 6-2.

“I think everything today was really tough,” said Dutch world No.8 Bertens.

“Camila started the match today really well, hitting a lot of balls really fast at me, and I didn’t control the balls so good.

“[Coach Raemon Sluiter] said to me, ‘Just try to put some variety in your shots,’ so some slices here and there, some higher balls, I think that was working.

“In the first set, I think [Giorgi] didn’t miss much, and then in the second set, she started to throw in some double faults and started to miss a little bit more.”