Gilles Simon will replace injured Janko Tipsarevic at the Kooyong Classic, the Australian Open tune-up.

The Frenchman, a former world No.6, comes into the eight-man field for the January 8-11 exhibition after Serb Tipsarevic was forced to withdraw with a long-running ruptured tendon in his heel.

Simon will play after competing at the Brisbane ATP event which begins on Sunday.

“I’m very happy to be preparing for the Australian Open at Kooyong this year,” Simon said.

“It’s a great event and perfect preparation.”

Simon joins a field which includes top 10 contenders Tomas Berdych, Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet along with Kei Nishikori, holder Lleyton Hewitt, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco and Grigor Dimitrov.

Tipsarevic has been fighting his heel problem since October.