Simona Halep has been forced to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open due to a foot injury picked up in Dubai.

The 28 year-old, who won the tournament in 2015, announced the news on Twitter.

She wrote: “I'm incredibly disappointed to have to withdraw from the 2020 BNP Paribas Open. 

"Unfortunately the foot injury that I picked up before Dubai is still causing me trouble and I will be unable to recover in time to travel to Indian Wells."

World No 2, Halep described the tournament as 'one of the highlights of the tennis calendar', adding: "I will be really sad to miss it, but I'm already looking forward to being back in 2021!"

The BNP Paribas Open is the largest international tennis tournament outside the four Grand Slams and runs from March 9-22.