Perth, 8 January 2011 | AAP

Former world No.1 Ana Ivanovic will ask Australian Open organisers to grant her a delayed start to the tournament after tearing a muscle in her stomach.

Ivanovic hopes to be fit for the first major of the year but the 23-year-old has pulled out of the Hopman Cup final in Perth and also next week’s Sydney International.

Serbia’s place in Saturday’s final has been taken by Belgium who will confront a US team chasing their country’s sixth tile.

Ivanovic says she must rest for up to four days before testing out the injury.