Hong Kong  - Jelena Jankovic has cut her losses, withdrawing from a high-powered Hong Kong tuneup for the Australian Open on Saturday and flying straight to Melbourne suffering with the flu.

The Serb will now be well short on match practise for the Grand Slam which starts a week from Monday.

Jankovic said she had been ill for several days and had managed to play only one doubles match at Victoria Park in the World Team Challenge.

Brisbane, Australia - Amelie Mauresmo fell victim to a leg injury after less than half an hour on court Friday to hand over a 4-0 victory which put French compatriot Marion Bartoli into the final of the Brisbane International.

The 2007 Wimbledon finalist will face off for the trophy against second seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Italy's Sara Errani 6-3, 6-1.

Mauresmo, a former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, was fresh off an upset win the day before against top seed Ana Ivanovic.

Perth, Australia - German Nicolas Kiefer was rushed to hospital for treatment of an ankle injury suffered as the Slovak Republic backed into a fifth final at the Hopman Cup teams event on Thursday.

The 31-year-old fell victim to the worst possible luck as he suffered a freak mishap while leading Slovakia's Domink Hrbaty 3-1.

The Europeans, winners in 2005, earned their Friday title shot 2-0 after teenager Dominika Cibulkova had beaten Sabine Lisicki of Germany 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 to start the tie.

Perth, Australia  - Nicolas Kiefer was taken off in a wheelchair on Thursday, victim of a freak ankle injury as Slovakia reached the final of the eight-nation team competition when Germany could not go on.

Kiefer, 31, was watching a return from Dominik Hrbaty sail out over the baseline when he put his weight wrongly on his right ankle and crumbled to the court at the Burswood Dome.

The German, leading 3-1 and with advantage in the fifth game, lay there in pain until he was taken away for treatment.

Wellington  -

Melbourne  - The Australian Open has lost injured world number five Nikolay Davydenko as the Russian withdrew due to a nagging heel injury.

The opening Grand Slam of the season suffered its first high- profile defection through the pullout. Also on the possible danger list are Maria Sharapova and world number two Serena Williams.

Neither have played for months - Sharapova has missed six months - but both insist they will be ready for the major, which begins in 11 days.