Victoria Azarenka withdraws from Sony Open with foot injury

Victoria Azarenka was in obvious pain during her loss to Lauren Davis. (Jeff Gross/AP)

No. 4 Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Sony Open with an injury for the second year in a row.

A two-time champion in Miami, Azarenka is still recovering from a foot injury she suffered before the Australian Open. After losing to Lauren Davis 6-0, 7-6 (2) in her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open last week, Azarenka described the injury as "nerve damage" and she was unable to say she was practicing pain-free.

Azarenka wore a walking boot for three weeks in February and returned to the practice court only a week before Indian Wells. She chose to play the tournament to test the injury, but it became immediately clear that she was nowhere fit enough to compete.