British number two Kyle Edmund has pulled out of the Auckland Open because of an ankle strain, a week before the start of the Australian Open.

The 22-year-old had been due to play Chung Hyeon of South Korea on Tuesday.

Edmund hurt his right ankle during the deciding set of his quarter-final defeat by Grigor Dimitrov at last week’s Brisbane International.

He will continue to have the injury assessed before the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.

With Andy Murray having pulled out because of a hip injury, Edmund would be the highest-ranked Briton in the men’s singles should he play.

The world number 50 said after his loss to Dimitrov that he expected his ankle would be sore for a few days but he would be “fine” for Melbourne.

American Tennys Sandgren has replaced him in the Auckland Open.

Meanwhile, Edmund’s compatriot Heather Watson reached the second round of the Hobart International with a 7-5 6-3 win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.