Doha, Qatar - Heartbroken Russian Dinara Safina may miss the start of 2010 in Australia due to the back problem which forced her from the Sony Ericsson Championships this week.

The player who lost the year-end number one ranking to Serena Williams after being forced to withdraw a few minutes into her opening group match, said doctors have told her to rest for up to a month.

That kind of scheduling could surely derail any preparation for the Australian Open starting in mid-January.

"The beginning of next year is under question. I don't know if I will be able to play in Australia," said the 2009 Australian Open finalist.

"It's possible that I might even not be 100 per cent fit for the Australian. Maybe I'll have to skip it."

Safin was in tears after her Doha misadventure, which gave Williams the 2009 crown.

The-23 year-old suffers from an inflammation around the lower vertebrae, struggling with the problems since the summer. Her last title was in Slovenia, with a third-round loss at the US Open.

"I've been playing on the pain for about three months, on anti-inflammatory," said Safina, "That's why I was advised to take a break after the US Open.

"I was fighting with my body. In Tokyo and Beijing (this month) my body was quiet and I was still hoping but then my body just gave up."

A cortisone injection which was to have seen her through Doha failed to work, with Safina lasting only two games in her match with Jelena Jankovic before retiring on Wednesday. (dpa)