Two-time grand slam champion Victoria Azarenka has been ruled out of Wimbledon with a knee injury.
The 26-year-old was seeded sixth for the tournament which begins on Monday.
The two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist has not played since retiring from her first-round match against Italian Karin Knapp at last month’s French Open.
The Belarusian’s withdrawal means five-time champion Venus Williams will move up into the top eight seeds.
Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, has been plagued by foot injuries in recent years.
Meanwhile, world number one, Serena Williams says she is looking forward to playing in this year’s Wimbledon championships, describing the event as special.
Serena, who has been confirmed as the top seed in the women’s singles is aiming to win her 22nd grand slam title.
She has also been speaking on the Rio 2016 Olympics and the dreaded Zika virus that has led to the withdrawals of some high profile athletes.
