Mauresmo, Sharapova Pull From Rome
Posted on May 15, 2006World No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova took the brunt of the star power out of the Internazionali d'Italia 2006 over the weekend, Mauresmo pulling with illness and Sharapova with a foot injury.
The Top 8 seeds, minus the world No. 1 and former Wimbledon champ now include Kim Clijsters, last week's Berlin winner Nadia Petrova, Russian Elena Dementieva, Swiss Patty Schnyder, Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Mary Pierce also withdrew from the event with a foot injury.
The lower of the 16 seeds include standouts Venus Williams, Anastasia Myskina and Daniela Hantuchova.
Early-round matches of interest include No. 12 Nicole Vaidisova vs. Martina Hingis in the 2nd round, No. 4 Petrova vs. Alicia Molik in the 2nd round, No. 9 Williams vs. Czech comer Lucie Safarova in the 2nd round, No. 13 Hantuchova vs. Prague runner-up Sam Stosur in her opener, and No. 2 Clijsters vs. Russian comer Anna Chakvetadze in the 2nd round.
In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Mauresmo came from a set down to beat the No. 8-seeded Schnyder 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The Top 8 seeds, minus the world No. 1 and former Wimbledon champ now include Kim Clijsters, last week's Berlin winner Nadia Petrova, Russian Elena Dementieva, Swiss Patty Schnyder, Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and Italian Francesca Schiavone.
Mary Pierce also withdrew from the event with a foot injury.
The lower of the 16 seeds include standouts Venus Williams, Anastasia Myskina and Daniela Hantuchova.
Early-round matches of interest include No. 12 Nicole Vaidisova vs. Martina Hingis in the 2nd round, No. 4 Petrova vs. Alicia Molik in the 2nd round, No. 9 Williams vs. Czech comer Lucie Safarova in the 2nd round, No. 13 Hantuchova vs. Prague runner-up Sam Stosur in her opener, and No. 2 Clijsters vs. Russian comer Anna Chakvetadze in the 2nd round.
In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Mauresmo came from a set down to beat the No. 8-seeded Schnyder 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.