An injury has forced top-seed Venus Williams to withdraw from the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Tennis Open in Tokyo Friday, but defending champion Lindsay Davenport advanced to the semifinals.
Williams withdrew from the tournament with a sore leg, shortly before she was to take the court against fellow American Chanda Rubin. The fifth seed will advance to the semifinals to face Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva, who beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.
Davenport easily defeated eighth-seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 to move one step closer to her fourth Toray title. The second-seeded American also won the event in 1998 and 2001.
Davenport next faces Jelena Dokic of Serbia and Montenegro, who cruised past Russia's Tatiana Panova 6-1, 6-1.
Williams missed six months of last season suffering from a pulled abdominal muscle. The former world-number-one made an early exit from last month's season opening Grand Slam Australian Open, losing to compatriot Lisa Raymond in the third round. Venus said an injury below her right knee made it painful for her to move or put any weight on the leg Friday.
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Williams withdrew from the tournament with a sore leg, shortly before she was to take the court against fellow American Chanda Rubin. The fifth seed will advance to the semifinals to face Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva, who beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.
Davenport easily defeated eighth-seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 to move one step closer to her fourth Toray title. The second-seeded American also won the event in 1998 and 2001.
Davenport next faces Jelena Dokic of Serbia and Montenegro, who cruised past Russia's Tatiana Panova 6-1, 6-1.
Williams missed six months of last season suffering from a pulled abdominal muscle. The former world-number-one made an early exit from last month's season opening Grand Slam Australian Open, losing to compatriot Lisa Raymond in the third round. Venus said an injury below her right knee made it painful for her to move or put any weight on the leg Friday.
http://www.voanews.com
