Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Serena Williams out of Games
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-12 09:45

Reigning Olympic doubles champion Serena Williams has pulled out of the women's tennis tournament in Athens, four days before the event started.

The former world number one scratched due to an injured left knee, US Olympic Tennis Team spokesman Randy Walker said on Wednesday.

The same injury forced her to withdraw from recent tournaments in San Diego and Montreal.

Venus Williams, the defending women's singles champion who also partnered younger sister Serena to doubles gold in Sydney four years ago, will now team up with Chanda Rubin in the doubles. Rubin was originally scheduled only to contest the singles.

Serena's withdrawal comes just a day after fellow American Jennifer Capriati, gold medallist in the singles in Barcelona 12 years ago, said she would not compete in Athens due to a hamstring injury.

Capriati was replaced in the US team by Lisa Raymond.

Olympic organisers said Serena's berth in the singles would be taken by Australia's Samantha Stosur. Stosur took her place as she was the highest-ranked player on site not already in the singles field.

Organisers also announced the seeds for the tournament on Wednesday, with Belgian world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne the top seed in the women's singles, followed by France's Amelie Mauresmo and Russian Anastasia Myskina.

Defending champion Venus is seeded sixth in the singles. Venus and Rubin are unseeded in the doubles with compatriots Raymond and 47-year-old Martina Navratilova seeded three.

The top seeds in the women's doubles are Russian pairing Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Likhovtseva.

Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Roger Federer of Switzerland heads the men's seedings, as expected, followed by American Andy Roddick, Spaniard Carlos Moya and Tim Henman.

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan are the top seeds in the men's doubles.

The draw for the Olympic tennis tournament is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 11 a.m. local time.



 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Trading surplus up for third month

 

   
 

Proposal for Taiwan's UN entry condemned

 

   
 

China to launch 1st moon probe in 2 years

 

   
 

Efficient coal usage urged to ease shortage

 

   
 

Olympics: Women's soccer suffers blow

 

   
 

China denies co-op with US-based Worldedo

 

   
  Olympics: Women's soccer suffers blow
   
  Yu Zaiqing voted into IOC executive board
   
  Swede becomes most powerful woman in sport
   
  China eyes gold medal on first day
   
  Media helps Yao Ming to carry flag
   
  Luo is ready for gold
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement