( CNN ) -- Former world No.2 Vera Zvonareva has withdrawn from next month 's Australian Open because of a shoulder injury . The 28-year-old Russian , twice a semi-finalist in Melbourne and defending women 's doubles champion ( with compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova ) , announced on her Facebook page that she was pulling out of the event which starts on the January 14 . `` Hey everyone ... some bad news . I will not be able to go to Australia this year , '' Zvonareva said . `` My body is not 100 % recovered yet and I want to start when I know I can play the rest of the year . I keep working hard to get healthy . Thank you for all your support ! '' The Russian was troubled by a series of injuries ( left hip and right shoulder ) in 2012 which saw her compete at just 10 events . Her last appearance in a grand slam was at Wimbledon in June , where she reached the third round before retiring with an upper respiratory illness . Her absence from all tournaments since the London Olympics has seen her slip down the WTA rankings to No.96 . Zvonareva is a two-time grand slam finalist reaching both the Wimbledon final and the U.S. Open final in 2010 losing to Serena Williams and Belgium 's Kim Clijsters respectively .
Former world No.2 announces withdrawal from opening grand slam of 2013 . The 28-year-old Russian has a injury to right shoulder . Follows a 2012 season marred by injury and illness where she played only 10 events .