Defending champion John Isner has pulled out of the Heineken Open tennis tournament, deciding instead to head to Melbourne to prepare for the Australian Open.
His withdrawal is one of two announced by tournament director Karl Budge, who said Frenchman Gael Monfils would also not be coming to Auckland.
Budge said world No.18 Isner had opted to spend next week in practice after playing in the Hopman Cup in Perth this week.
The 29-year-old American has made four previous appearances in the Heineken Open, twice winning the title.
Budge said world No. 20 Monfils, a semi-finalist in Auckland in 2013, was withdrawing for personal reasons.
"He's bitterly disappointed," Budge said.
"He desperately wants to be here. Unfortunately it's not to be this year."
Isner and Monfils' absence means the number of top-10 players on show will be reduced to five, but Budge said the field would still be the best in the tournament's history.
Spain's David Ferrer, the world No.10 and a four-time winner, is the top seed for the event, which begins on Monday.
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