Sonay Kartal has withdrawn from Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier against Australia in Melbourne next week because of injury.

The absence of the British number two means Britain will be without their four highest-ranked players, after Emma Raducaunu, Katie Boulter and Francesca Jones were not included in the initial squad as they focus on their clay-court seasons.

It leaves world number 181 Harriet Dart as the team’s highest-ranked singles player for the tie, which takes place on 10-11 April.

Kartal, 24, said she had not yet recovered from the lower back issue which forced her retirement from a fourth-round Indian Wells match against world number three Elena Rybakina last month.

“After having some scans it is clear that I’m going to need a little more time to let it heal,” Kartal said.