Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion who lifted the Qatar Open title over the weekend, received a bye into the second round in Dubai but retired in the second set against Swiss Jil Teichmann who was leading 6-2, 3-4.

“Unfortunately since my semifinal in Doha, I felt my adductor. It didn’t get any better and in the second set it got a little bit worse,” the 31-year-old Kvitova said.

“I felt pain almost everywhere on that right leg so unfortunately, I couldn’t move how I wanted and I didn’t want it to get even worse. That’s why I retired. I put everything into it.

“But overall I’m very happy with my title in Doha… I’m disappointed how it ended today. I’ll try my best to get ready for Miami.”

The Miami Open, which is a WTA 1000 event like Dubai, is set to begin on March 23.

Kvitova is the latest top 10 player to pull out in Dubai after Romanian defending champion Simona Halep skipped the tournament with a lower back issue, while Australia’s world No 1 Ash Barty also withdrew to nurse a left leg injury.