By Etienne Stekelenburg
January 13 2004

The 27-year-old two times Aussie Open Champion Jennifer Capriati told the first Grand Slam organization she still isnt fully recovered from a back injury that she picked up last year. The 1995 Australian Open Champion Mary Pierce of France already decided not to compete at the Melbourne tournament.

She said she is still not fit enough to play a Grand Slam.Pierce is planning her comeback to the competition during the France Indoor Open, which starts on February 9th. She played her last match in November as a member of the French Fed Cup team.

Serena Williams decided to wait longer with making her comeback. She pulled out of the Australian Open due to a slower recovery from a knee injury than she expected.

"My knee feels great, but my rehabilitation took a little longer than I expected," she said. "I'm on the courts daily, and look forward to coming back in championship form."

Kim Clijsters might be the next topseed to withdraw from the first Grand Slam of the year. After pulling out of the Sydney tournament she will decide later whether she is fit enough to play the Australian Open.

The Belgian No. 2 suffered an ankle injury during the Hopman Cup and had to pull out and cancel the Adidas International tournament in Sydney.