Russian Marat Safin [Images] will not defend his Australian Open title, saying on Wednesday that he had not recovered sufficiently from a knee injury.
"I am very sad that I cannot go to the Australian Open to defend my title as champion," Safin said on his website.
"I have been working very hard and it is a lot better. I am sorry to all my Australian fans but I will be back next year," he said.
Safin beat world number one Roger Federer [Images] in the semi-finals in Melbourne last year before toppling local favourite Lleyton Hewitt [Images] in the final to win his first Australian Open title.
Safin tore a knee ligament at Wimbledon and has not played since the Cincinnati Masters Series in August.
The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Monday.
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