'I'm gutted': Andy Murray's heartbreaking injury curse continues

Andy Murray will miss the Australian Open after failing to recover in time from an injury picked up at the Davis Cup finals last month.

The 32-year-old's contribution to Great Britain's efforts in Madrid was restricted to one match after he suffered a problem with his pelvis.

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It was initially thought the issue was minor and would not affect his participation in either the season-opening ATP Cup or the Australian Open, which was set to be Murray's grand slam comeback.

But alarm bells rang when he cancelled his training block in Miami and on Saturday his management company announced the Scot would not be travelling to Australia.

Speaking to the BBC, Murray confirmed he would not return to the Australian Open, the scene of a memorable and highly emotional press conference in which the Scottish star pondered retirement.

“Unfortunately I've had a setback and as a precaution need to work through that before competing," Murray told the BBC.

“I've worked so hard to get myself into a situation where I can play at the top level and I'm gutted I'm not going to be able to play.

“After the Australian Open earlier this year, when I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to play again, I was excited about coming back to Australia and giving my best, and that makes this even more disappointing for me.”

Sam Stosur's Aus Open warning for Ash Barty

Having tried and failed herself, Samantha Stosur believes Ashleigh Barty must reveal her selfish side if she's to break Australia's 41-year Australian Open title drought next month.

As a dual grand slam finalist and the 2011 US Open champion, Stosur carried the hopes of the nation into the annual summer of tennis for years while entrenched in the world's top 10.

But the pressure on world No.1 Barty will be next level when the 23-year-old arrives in Melbourne as Australia's first women's top seed at the Open since Dianne Fromholtz in 1977.

As if the home-town hype won't be enough of a burden for Barty, such is the depth and unpredictability of women's tennis that only two top-ranked players have won slams in the past five years - Simona Halep and the great Serena Williams.

Williams was the last women's top seed to win the Open in 2015.

"It's definitely not that easy," Stosur told AAP.

"That's what I felt when I won the US Open that year and then came into the AO as the next grand slam and it's not that easy to do that.

"I think what Ash has got in her favour compared to what I had is she actually has already played well at the Australian Open.

WITH AAP