Dubai, UAE - The back injury which forced Dinara Safina to quit her fourth-round match at last month's Australian Open will keep the Russian out of next week's Barclays Championships. The former world number on her
website Monday said that the chronic problem has not yet fully healed. Safina is now aiming to return in time for the Indian Wells tournament from March 10 in California.
Safina, the current number two behind
Serena Williams - also injured and a withdrawal from the
Paris Indoors this week - quit in the
Melbourne first round, trailing Maria Kirilenko 5-4.
"Unfortunately, I will not be able to play this year because of the back injury that's been bothering me since the end of last season," she said.
