Injuries Shadow Mauresmo, Dementieva at WTA Moscow
Posted on October 9, 2006Injuries take center stage, as they do often these days in women's tennis, this week at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, where the big question is whether world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo will pull from the event after injuring her shoulder in Stuttgart last week.
No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva was also injured last week in Stuttgart and is a withdrawal threat.
Mauresmo would not be the only injury fatality. Pulling from the event with injuries were Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams and Anastasia Myskina.
The top four seeds receive first-round byes, giving Mauresmo and Dementieva a chance to heal by a Wednesday or Thursday start.
Maria Sharapova is the top Russian hope, joined by remaining seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova, Patty Schnyder, Dinara Safina and Nicole Vaidisova.
Mauresmo will open against the winner of Russian Elena Vesnina and China's Na Li. Dementieva's opening-round opponent will be either Israel's Shahar Peer or Russian wildcard Elena Bovina who is returning from a lengthy injury.
The No. 2-seeded Sharapova will debut against a qualifier, and No. 3 Kuznetsova against either Russian countrywoman Vera Dushevina or Vera Zvonareva.
Absent is last year's champion Mary Pierce, who beat Francesca Schiavone in the 2005 final.
No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva was also injured last week in Stuttgart and is a withdrawal threat.
Mauresmo would not be the only injury fatality. Pulling from the event with injuries were Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams and Anastasia Myskina.
The top four seeds receive first-round byes, giving Mauresmo and Dementieva a chance to heal by a Wednesday or Thursday start.
Maria Sharapova is the top Russian hope, joined by remaining seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova, Patty Schnyder, Dinara Safina and Nicole Vaidisova.
Mauresmo will open against the winner of Russian Elena Vesnina and China's Na Li. Dementieva's opening-round opponent will be either Israel's Shahar Peer or Russian wildcard Elena Bovina who is returning from a lengthy injury.
The No. 2-seeded Sharapova will debut against a qualifier, and No. 3 Kuznetsova against either Russian countrywoman Vera Dushevina or Vera Zvonareva.
Absent is last year's champion Mary Pierce, who beat Francesca Schiavone in the 2005 final.