Two time champion Petra Kvitova is out of Birmingham.

The Czech number two who missed Roland Garros following a retirement in Rome is still not ready to return too tennis and to Birmingham to defend her title.

The former Birmingham and Wimbledon champion has been suffering with an arm injury for some time now and as well as there being no appearance at Birmingham this year there is also big doubts over her participation at Wimbledon which will be a race to get fit and potentially a wildcard in Eastbourne is an explorable option.

Coming in however to join Venus Williams as a wildcard is former finalist Karolina Pliskova who was the champion in Rome but a very early and surprising exit at Roland Garros.

Pliskova was a finalist in Birmingham in 2015 losing to Angie Kerber in three sets but is a doubles champion in 2016 teaming up with fellow Czech Barbora Strycova.