A forearm strain has ruled Jo-Wilfried Tsonga out of the Australian Open.
The French tennis ace confirmed his absence on his personal website on Wednesday.
"It is with great disappointment that I have to postpone today the start of my season, pulling out of the Australian Open," explained the 29-year-old who was pictured wearing a high-tech support on his right hand and arm.
"I'm still suffering from a forearm inflammation (intersection syndrome) and that prevents me from being at full capacity."
The popular French No.1 and world No.12 has been struggling with the injury for several weeks and it laid him low during the Davis Cup final against Switzerland in Lille in November.
In that contest, Tsonga played the opening rubber against Stan Wawrinka but lost in four sets and then withdrew from the rest of the match which the Swiss won 3-1.
He then withdrew from the Hopman Cup team tournament in Perth and said he was in doubt for the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne on January 19.
Tsonga's best Grand Slam run to date came at the Australian Open in 2008, when he beat Raphael Nadal on the way to the final before losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
He said he would be undergoing treatment for the condition over the next three weeks in a bid to be fit in time for the Masters Series tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.
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