Laura Robson’s preparations for the Australian Tennis Open lay in tatters after she pulled out of last weekend’s Hobart International with a persistent wrist injury.

The 19-year-old from Wimbledon also had to withdraw from the Auckland Open – the season’s curtain raiser – the previous week with the same ailment.

Robson, who reached the third round Down Under last season, remains in Friday’s draw for the first round at Melbourne Park, with play due to start on Monday.

But with Robson’s compatriots Tara Moore, Heather Watson and Johanna Konta facing three tricky rounds of qualifiers, there is every chance Great Britain will not have a representative in the women’s singles this year.