Tsonga skips Qatar Open

Singapore - World number 10 Jo-Wilfred Tsonga has been forced to pull out of the Qatar Open because of a wrist injury, hampering the Frenchman's Australian Open preparations.

The 2008 Australian Open runner-up also withdrew from a six-man invitational event in Abu Dhabi earlier this week after injuring himself in training.

"I am extremely disappointed not to be able to participate in Qatar Open due to a wrist injury. I hope that I will participate in years to come," Tsonga said in a statement on the Qatari Tennis Federation website (www.qatartennis.org).

The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Jan. 18