Eugenie Bouchard has accepted a last-minute wild card spot for next week's Qatar Open in Doha.

The news comes on the same day the tournament announced that Serena Williams has withdrawn because of the flu.

"I have come down with the flu and do not feel 100 per cent," Williams said in a news release. "I need to take this time to recover but I do look forward to returning to Doha and seeing my fans soon."

The No.1-ranked Williams pulled out of this week's Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday, also citing illness.

Bouchard will be unseeded at the tournament but won't face any of the top 16 players entered in the first round.