Illness forces Kirilenko out

Seventh-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko has withdrawn from the Brisbane International tennis tournament due to a virus, the organisers said Sunday.

Kirilenko, the world No.29, was due to play Australian Samantha Stosur in the opening match of the tournament but pulled out shortly before she was due on court.

The draw has been altered to see the next highest-ranked player not to be seeded, Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama (No.31), take Kirilenko's position in the draw.

BRISBANE, Australia, Sunday, AFP