Canada's Bianca Andreescu has dropped out of next week's Qatar Total Open in Doha because of a lingering left knee injury.

The reigning U.S. Open champion hasn't played a competitive match since she suffered the injury in late October at the WTA Finals in China, having missed the Australian Open, a Fed Cup tie against Switzerland and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The $2.940 million US Qatar event is a Premier 5 tournament, the third-highest ranking on the WTA circuit behind the four Grand Slams and Premier Mandatory events.

Andreescu, 19, from Mississauga, Ont., isn't entered in another tournament until the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., March 11-22, a Premier Mandatory event she won during her breakthrough 2019 campaign.

Despite her lack of action, Andreescu is projected to rise one spot to No. 4 in the WTA Tour rankings next week, matching her career high she reached last October. It is the highest ranking ever for a Canadian woman.