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On the sidelines Philippoussis, Krajicek, Pierce out of Wimbledon
Updated: Thursday June 14, 2001 2:26 PM
LONDON (AP) -- Big-serving Australian Mark Philippoussis, 1996 titlist Richard Kracijek and former French Open champion Mary Pierce have withdrawn from Wimbledon with injuries. Philippoussis, 24, last played an ATP tour event in March in Miami and has fallen from 11 to 61 in the Champions Race because of a recurring knee injury. Because he is still ranked as high as 18th in the ATP entry system, he would have been seeded at the grass court Grand Slam, which begins June 25, because the number of seedings has been increased to 32. Philippoussis has reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon the last three years. Krajicek, a 29-year-old Dutchman who is the only player to beat Pete Sampras at Wimbledon since 1992, has been sidelined for several weeks after elbow surgery. Pierce, 26, has withdrawn after failing to recover from the back injury that caused her to pull out of her defense of the French Open. The French star has fallen to 75 in the world rankings after being plagued by injuries this season and has won only six of 14 matches. She pulled out of the Bausch & Lomb tournament in Amelia Island in May after tweaking her back throwing a medicine ball. Pierce reached the second round at Wimbledon last year. Her best showing was the fourth round in 1999. Anna Kournikova may also join Pierce and Philippoussis on the sidelines. The 20-year-old Russian pulled out of next week's grass court event at Eastbourne and hasn't played since sustaining a stress fracture in her left foot in March. She missed the entire clay court season, including the French Open, and has already withdrawn from two events on grass, the DFS Classic in Birmingham and an exhibition tournament in London. Kournikova reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1997, but only reached the second round last year.
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