PHOTO: AFP
Writing on Twitter, the Argentine said: "Recovery is going great and I will tell you later where I will be making my comeback. Unfortunately it won't happen in Australia."
The injury-plagued 30-year-old hobbled out of the Shanghai Masters two months ago after an awkward fall before doctors diagnosed him with a fractured patella bone in his right knee.
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Since winning the US Open in 2009 as a 20-year-old, Del Potro has been plagued with physical problems, including a series of wrist injuries that required four surgeries.
But 2018 had seen something of a resurgence from a player who dropped to 581 in the world in 2015.
He beat Swiss great Roger Federer in the Indian Wells Masters final in March and in September he reached a second Grand Slam final, but was beaten in straight sets by current world No.1 Novak Djokovic at the US Open.
He even reached a career-high ranking of three in August.
While he said on Twitter he would "miss" the Australian Open, he added that he was "happy with my progress."
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