Injured Davenport Pulls Out

The Age

Friday June 27, 2008

By Linda Pearce, London

FORMER champion and two-time runner-up Lindsay Davenport may have played at Wimbledon for the last time. The 25th seed last night withdrew with an inflamed right knee, having struggled through her first-round match against Renata Voracova in three painful sets.

Davenport, 32, had been due to play Argentinian Gisela Dulko, who was given a walkover into the third round.

An MRI scan on Tuesday night cleared a relieved Davenport - who had surgery on the joint in 2002 and was sidelined for eight months - of any structural damage, but revealed inflammation and fluid behind the knee cap. She is unlikely to resume playing for at least three to four weeks.

"After doing my warm-up, I felt like I was 25, maybe 30%, which for a second round match is not good enough, and it's not going to get better by playing, so prescribed rest," she said.

Davenport, who made a successful return to the WTA Tour last year after the birth of her son, Jagger, said she was intent on contesting the Beijing Olympics and US Open, but had made no plans beyond September.

"I don't know what that means, but to get through September 10th or 11th and be healthy is all that I'm aiming at right now," said Davenport, who said she did not necessarily expect to be back at Wimbledon next year.

Defending champion Venus Williams last night endured a lengthy first-set battle with a British hopeful - this time Anne Keothavong - for the second consecutive round, only to escape 7-5, 6-2. But out went Russian 13th seed Vera Zvonareva, beaten in three sets by Tamarine Tanasugarn. India's Sania Mirza also lost, the No. 32 seed eliminated by Spanish qualifer Maria Jo Martinez Sanchez.

SECOND ROUND RESULTS

MEN: 27-Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) d Martin Vassallo Arguello (Arg) 6-0, 6-3, 6-1; Arnaud Clement (Fra) d Benjamin Becker (Ger) 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; Jurgen Melzer (Aut) d Jesse Levine (US) 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

WOMEN: Gisela Dulko (Arg) d 25-Lindsay Davenport (US) walkover; Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spa) d 32-Sania Mirza (Ind) 6-0, 4-6, 9-7; 7-Venus Williams (US) d Anne Keothavong (GB) 7-5, 6-2; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thai) d 13-Vera Zvonareva (Rus) 7-6 (12-10), 4-6, 6-3.

© 2008 The Age

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