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NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Open lost yet another top women’s player
Wednesday when two-time champion Venus Williams withdrew because of
illness.
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Williams was supposed to play 22nd-seeded Sabine Lisicki in the
second round.
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The 31-year-old Williams pulled out of two hard-court tuneup
tournaments this summer because of a virus. In her first match in
two months, Williams beat Vesna Dolonts 6-4, 6-3 at Flushing
Meadows on Monday.
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Before the news broke that the older Williams sister was out, Vera
Zvonareva was already happy just to advance. In a wide-open women’s
draw, that counts for a lot – and that became even more true with
Williams’ exit.
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The second-seeded Russian needed three ragged sets to reach the
third round, beating 69th-ranked Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
With the winners of the last four major tournaments missing from
the second round, players with a lot of Grand Slam experience are
in short supply. Zvonareva has that, losing in the final at
Wimbledon and here at Flushing Meadows in 2010.
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“I wouldn’t say I’m pleased with the quality of tennis I showed,
but I’m pleased the way I handled the match,” said Zvonareva, who
overcame 46 unforced errors.
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A two-time Grand Slam runner-up on the men’s side didn’t even get
started at the Open. Sixth-seeded Robin Soderling withdrew because
of illness before his first-round match.
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The Swede was scheduled to face qualifier Louk Sorensen in the
first round. “Lucky loser” Rogerio Dutra da Silva of Brazil took
his spot and made it to the second round, winning when Sorensen
retired because of cramps.
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Soderling’s agent said in a statement that he started feeling
“really bad” Tuesday night with stomach pain and a headache, and a
doctor recommended he not play.
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One American teen pulled a big upset on the women’s side, while
another couldn’t hold onto a lead.
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Christina McHale reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament
for the first time, beating eighth-seeded Marion Bartoli in
straight sets.
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The 19-year-old from Englewood Cliffs, N.J., won 7-6 (2), 6-2.
She’s ranked a career-high 55th and beat No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki
in Cincinnati this month.
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McHale clinched the victory in style, winning the final point on an
ace. The youngest woman in the top 100, McHale was playing in her
eighth major tournament.
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At the French Open this year, she was up 5-0 in the third set but
let it slip away and was beaten 6-7 (4), 6-2, 9-7 by Sara Errani.
McHale didn’t lose any leads this time.
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Bartoli, a 26-year-old Frenchwoman, was a semifinalist at Roland
Garros this year.
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Madison Keys couldn’t hold onto several leads in her second-round
match, eventually falling to 27th-seeded Lucie Safarova in three
sets.
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“I must say, she’s a very good player for her age,” the 24-year-old
Safarova said after winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
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In her major tournament debut Monday, Keys became the youngest
player since 2005 to win a match at Flushing Meadows. At No. 455,
she was the lowest-ranked woman in the field.
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The 16-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., won the first five games in
taking the opening set. Keys went up a break in the second before
letting the lead slip away. And in the third set, she twice broke
Safarova only to give the lead back in the following
game.
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Juan Martin del Potro played here for the first time since winning
the 2009 U.S. Open, beating Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-3, 6-1,
6-1. The 18th-seeded Argentine was unable to defend his title last
year because of a wrist injury.
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Fourth-seeded Andy Murray had a tough first set then cruised the
rest of the way, beating Somdev Devvarman 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-3 in the
first round.
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Tenth-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain lost 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 to
81st-ranked Julien Benneteau of France.
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