Kournikova withdraws
Thumb injury ends Wimbledon warmup for teenager
Posted: Friday June 19, 1998 09:25 AM
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Kournikova injured her thumb in her victory over Steffi Graf (AP) |
EASTBOURNE, England (AP) -- Anna Kournikova, among the favorites next week at Wimbledon, pulled out of the Eastboure grass-court tournament Friday with a thumb injury.
Kournikova, a Wimbledon semifinalist last year, defeated seven-time champion Steffi Graf 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4 in Thursday's quarterfinals, where she suffered the fall that caused the injury to her right thumb.
It was thought the move was precautionary and Kournikova was to speak to reporters later Friday.
Also on Friday, Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario -- the defending French Open champion -- again beat American 16-year-old Serena
Williams in the quarterfinals.
The victory -- 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 -- moved the Spaniard into the final. She was to have played Kournikova in the semifinals.
Sanchez Vicario is now 3-0 against the American, including a three-set win in the French Open when Williams angered the Spaniard. Sanchez Vicario said the young American didn't give her
enough respect.
Sanchez Vicario also beat her in a tournament in Sydney earlier this year.
"What are you talking about, I don't remember anything [at the French Open]," Williams said after the loss.
The match was filled with fierce rallies, but Williams made more volleying errors and hit one wild volley into a fence behind the court.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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