Sharapova withdraws with ankle injury

World No. 2 Maria Sharapova of Russia came down awkwardly after a serve in her quarterfinal match in Tokyo and fell to the court when her left ankle buckled.

Just minutes later, the ankle was swollen to twice its normal size and the three-time Grand Slam champion had to be helped out of the locker room and taken to a hospital for an MRI. On her website Sharapova said “good news is that the MRI showed no big damage in the ankle.”

She has pulled out of the China Open next week but hopes to play at the prestigious WTA Championships scheduled to begin October 25 in Istanbul.

Clijsters will not defend her U.S Open title

The U.S. Open has lost three-time and defending champion, Kim Clijsters. She informed tournament officials Friday that she would be unable to participate in the season’s final major because of a strained abdominal muscle.

Clijsters, who missed Wimbledon with an ankle injury, pulled out of a tournament in Toronto this month with a muscle strain on the left side of her stomach. In a statement Friday, she said “two weeks of rehab is not enough to heal this injury.”

“Obviously I’m very disappointed,” she said. “I trained very hard this summer and felt in a good shape to play the U.S. Open.”

Former No. 1 Safina calls it quits for the year

Dinara Safina of Russia, former World No. 1, has called it quits for the year because of chronic back pain.

“I’m sorry to report that my back is still acting up and I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year,” she said on her official website (www.dinarasafina.com).

The 25-year-old, who has not played since early May, will miss her third successive grand slam tournament – the US Open – after also pulling out of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Clijsters withdraws from match against Bartoli at Indian Wells

No. 2 seed, Kim Clijsters of Belgium, was forced to withdraw from her fourth round match against No. 15 seed, Marion Bartoli of France, at the 2011 WTA BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells today. Clijsters won the first set 6-3, as was trailing 1-2 in the second when she called on her trainer for treatment on her shoulder. She withdrew one game later.

Clijsters said her shoulder pain mainly affected serving and trying to hit high forehands. She claims she withdrew largely as a precaution with Fed Cup duties and the clay court season fast approaching.

Chakvetadze faints in match against Wozniacki

Ana Chakvetadze of Russia crumpled to the court during her match against World No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the 2011 WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, UAE.

Chakvetadze had dropped the first set to Wozniacki but led 5-3 in the second when she suddenly collapsed. She was out before she hit the ground. She lay motionless for an instant before doctors and trainers attended to her, propped her up and checked her vital signs.

The 23-year-old rested for a few minutes before returning to play one point. She wisely retired before the next point, giving the win to Wozniacki 6-1, 3-5.

Bartoli out for six weeks after calf tear

No. 17 Marion Bartoli of France will be off the court for six weeks after suffering a calf tear during her match against Vesna Manasieva in the second round of the Australian Open. Bartoli, who did not drop a game in her opening match, lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 after a strong start.

“It felt like an explosion inside my muscle when I pushed off at one point,” she said. “After that, it was very complicated because I couldn’t use my right leg. I can’t take a plane now because it’s too swollen. I have to stay here for three days. The doctors asked me how I had managed to play another hour and a half. But I’m a competitor. I was up a set, it’s not easy to give up. It might not have been the best decision to take.”

Hantuchova, Pennetta lead early WTA withdrawal list

Daniela Hantuchova is among those on the early injury and illness bug list as the WTA season gets set to begin.

Hantuchova is suffering with an achilles tendon tear. Flavia Pennetta has pulled out of Brisbane with a stomach bug. Yaroslava Shevdova has pulled out of the Hopman Cup with a knee injury, and Anastasija Sevastova if out of Auckland with illness.

This is certainly not a good start to the WTA season. We hope this is not a preview of what is to come throughout the season. However, fans, buckle your seat belts and get ready. The season is about to begin.

Serena Williams calls it quits for this season

Serena Williams has made it official – she is out for the season.

The former world number one announced the news that she was pulling out of the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships and the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas final on Tuesday.

Not that many of us expected anything different. After all, the last half of this year she has been claiming to start up again for the next tournament, then just a few days later saying she is withdrawing from that tournament.

Serena Williams bails out again, withdraws from Generali Ladies Linz

Serena Williams has done it again, withdrawing just days before the beginning of a tournament she had agreed to play. She is claiming it is because of recurring pain in her right foot, according to tournament organizers.

Williams has not played competitively since she was injured in an off-court incident in Munich, following her 13th career Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon this July. She received stitches immediately and then had surgery when she returned to the United States.

Serena Williams actually plans to return to tennis next week

Serena Williams is returning to the WTA Tour at next week’s Generali Ladies Linz after spending the time since July sidelined by a cut on her right foot. The event will be played in Linz, Austria.

Prior to her injury, Williams cruised to her fourth career Wimbledon title and 13th Grand Slam.

Organizers of the Linz event said the Wimbledon and Australian Open champion confirmed her entry Thursday, the same day she lost her No. 1 ranking. It makes one wonder if that was just a coincidence, or if Williams didn’t like being dethroned.