Hingis has been out of action since early October

Martina Hingis has withdrawn from the Australian Open because of a persistent ankle injury,

Australian Open spokesman John Lindsay said: "She notified us today that she won't be recovered in time to compete."

Switzerland's Hingis, 22, won the last of her five Grand Slam titles at the 1999 Australian Open.

She underwent ankle surgery in May and missed the French Open and Wimbledon.

The former US Open and Wimbledon champion was scheduled to make her comeback at the January 13-26 Grand Slam event in Melbourne.

Hingis's 1999 Australian title was her third in a row, and she has been a beaten finalist in the past three years.

She said in October that she would take an indefinite break after a poor run of results.