 Kournikova was bidding to regain confidence |
Anna Kournikova has pulled out of a Challenger event because of a thigh injury. The Russian signed up to play the $75,000 event in Dothan, Alabama, in a bid to regain confidence after an appalling start to the year.
Kournikova has lost in the first round of each of the WTA tournaments she has played in this year.
The Challenger series is a level below the WTA Tour - a level Kournikova has not played at for seven years.
But the Russian scrapped her plans to play in the tournament because of the same thigh injury that forced her to quit during a match at last week's Family Circle Cup.
"She's the highest profile person there is in tennis," said tournament director Kim Meeker.
"There's nobody I would rather have had for the draw."
Kournikova has dropped 59 ranking spots since peaking at number eight in May 2001and has never won a WTA event.
MMIX
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