EASTBOURNE (England), June 18: Former Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the Eastbourne International on Tuesday with a knee injury.

The injury would have raised doubts about her participation in Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, as she has now not played competitively since April.

The 31-year-old American, who won Wimbledon in 1999 and Eastbourne in 2001, also withdrew from the French Open because of personal reasons.

Davenport was set to face Virginie Razzano in the first round in Eastbourne but the Frenchwoman instead faced Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, winning 6-3, 6-4.

Earlier in the day, seventh seed Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic was beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Olga Govortsova of Belarus.

Tuesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

First round: Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) bt Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-3, 6-0; Virginie Razzano (France) bt Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-3, 6-4; Sybille Bammer (Austria) bt Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) 7-6 (11-9), 1-6, 7-5; Olga Govortsova (Belarus) bt 7-Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-4; Alisa Kleybanova (Russia) bt Melanie South (Britain) 6-4, 6-4; Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) 6-3, 6-2.

TURSONOV THROWN OUT

NOTTINGHAM (England): Russian Dmitry Tursonov was disqualified from the ATP Wimbledon warm-up tournament here on Tuesday after quitting during a doubles match following a disagreement on a line call.

Sixth seed Tursonov, who had expected to be fined, was promptly thrown out off the singles event and opponent Thomas Johansson of Sweden given a walk-over into the quarter-finals.

The 25-year-old Tursunov, who had been partnering Chris Haggard, walked off with the pair trailing Simone Bolelli and Andreas Seppi 6-4, 3-1.

An ATP statement said: “After reviewing the situation, the ATP Supervisor has withdrawn Dmitry Tursunov from the singles tournament at the Slazenger Open.

“Thomas Johansson will now advance directly to the quarter-finals.”

Results:

First round: 3-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) bt Marcos Daniel (Brazil) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); Vince Spadea (US) bt Alexander Slabinsky (Britain) 6-1, 7-5; 8-Gael Monfils (France) bt Chris Guccione (Australia) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4; Eduardo Schwank (Argentina) bt Frederik Nielsen (Denmark) 6-3, 6-3; Alex Bogdanovic (Britain) bt James Ward (Britain) 6-3, 6-4; 1-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) bt John Isner (US) 6-3, 6-2; Samuel Groth (Australia) bt Jamie Baker (Britain) 7-6 (9-7), 6-3; Thomas Johansson (Sweden) bt Kei Nishikori (Japan) 7-5 — Nishikori retired; 5-Gilles Simon (France) bt Donald Young (US) 6-1, 6-4.

GASQUET OUSTED

AMSTERDAM: French No 1 Richard Gasquet went out in the second round of the Den Bosch Open on Tuesday after losing 7-5, 7-6 to countryman Marc Gicquel.

Gasquet, the world No 9, withdrew from the French Open with a knee injury two weeks ago but is still scheduled to play at Wimbledon from June 23. Gasquet reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year.

Gicquel next faces Juergen Melzer of Austria who overcame Russian fifth seed Igor Andreev 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.

Croatia’s Mario Ancic progressed to the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Steve Darcis of Belgium.

In the women’s singles event, second seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.

French Open runner-up Dinara Safina, seeded third, eased past Camille Pin of France 6-1, 6-4.

Results:

Men’s singles:

Second round: 1-David Ferrer (Spain) bt Massimo Dell’Acqua (Italy) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3); 6-Mario Ancic (Croatia) bt Steve Darcis (Belgium) 6-2, 6-4; Juergen Melzer (Austria) bt 5-Igor Andreev (Russia) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1; Marc Gicquel (France) bt 2-Richard Gasquet (France) 7-5, 7-6 (8-6).

Women’s singles:

Second round: 3-Dinara Safina (Russia) bt Camille Pin (France) 6-1, 6-4; 2-Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) bt Angelique Kerber (Germany) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-1); 8-Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) bt Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

First round: Sorana Cirstea (Romania) bt 6-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) 7-5, 6-4; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) 6-3, 6-3; Chan Yung-Jan (Taiwan) bt Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden) 7-5, 7-5.—Agencies

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