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.

Close

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