Miami - Dinara Safina's long-running back injury dramas looked set to continue after the world number two withdrew Tuesday from next week's Miami Masters.
Safina last played at the Australian Open and quit after nine games against Maria Kirilenko in the fourth round,
The former world number one gave her website the bad news: "Unfortunately, I will not be able to play in Miami this year because of the back injury that's been bothering me since the end of last season."
Her next goal now appears to be the Stuttgart event from late April.