Zvonareva misses Australian Open with shoulder injury

MELBOURNE (REUTERS) - Former world No. 2 Vera Zvonareva of Russia has pulled out of the Australian Open with a shoulder injury, organisers of the opening grand slam of the season said on Friday.

"Sorry to report that Vera Zvonareva has withdrawn from the AO due to a continuing right shoulder injury," organisers of the Jan 14-27 event said on their Twitter account.

The injury-prone 28-year-old, a 2010 Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist, will also miss the Auckland Classic starting on Dec 31.