VENUS Williams' participation in the WTA Tour BMW Malaysian Open is in doubt after the seven-time grand slam champion withdrew from a Australian Open warm-up event in New Zealand due to "health reasons".
Venus, who has been receiving treatment for Sjogren's syndrome, an auto-immune disease, was given a wild card for Auckland Classic on Jan 2-7.
The five-time Wimbledon champion had also agreed to play in the Malaysian Open on Feb 27-March 4 at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort.
"After playing a number of recent exhibition matches, Williams told her agent Carlos Fleming she was not ready to play in Auckland," a statement on the Auckland Classic website said.
The 31-year-old has been plagued with injuries and health issues since she made the semi-finals of the US Open last year.
The five-times Wimbledon champion, who changed her diet to include more vegetables after suffering fatigue from the disease, said last month that she hoped to return to the tour full-time in 2012 and to top the rankings.
A source, however, said Venus would be in Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian Open.
"Venus is our marquee player. It is unfortunate that she is not ready for Auckland but we are keeping our fingers crossed that she will play here," said the source.
France's World No 9 Marion Bartoli, Australia's defending champion Jelena Dokic and Asian Games gold medallist Peng Shuai are among those who are confirmed as coming. By Ajitpal Singh
