 Amelie Mauresmo received treatment but was forced to withdraw |
Amelie Mauresmo was forced to withdraw from the Brisbane International because of a thigh strain, but expects to be fit for the Australian Open this month. The powerful French player was trailing 4-0 in her semi-final against Marion Bartoli when she pulled out. Bartoli will now meet Victoria Azarenka in the final after she thrashed Sara Errani 6-3 6-1 in the other semi. In the men's semis, Richard Gasquet will play Radek Stepanek while Paul-Henri Mathieu faces Fernando Verdasco. Mauresmo, the 2006 Australian Open champion, said the fact the Grand Slam tournament was looming was on her mind when she pulled out.  | I just hope it's not too bad and I can be good for Melbourne |
"It wasn't a big pain so I kept going but couldn't really push off the serve and move the way I wanted," she said. "I guess it's more reasonable to make sure I'm 100% for Melbourne." Mauresmo has had a string of injuries over the past two years, which has seen her slip to 23rd in the world rankings. "I've been doing everything I can to avoid these kinds of moments," she said. "I just hope it's not too bad and I can be good for Melbourne." The 29-year-old will have an MRI scan on Saturday. | 606: DEBATE |
She is likely to have to go straight into the first Grand Slam tournament of the season - which begins on 19 January - as the injury is not expected to heal quickly enough for her to compete in the Sydney International warm-up event next week. Bartoli, a surprise Wimbledon finalist in 2007 and seeded third in Brisbane, will play second-seed Azarenka in Saturday's final, after the Belarus player beat Sara Errani of Italy 6-3 6-1. In the men's draw Stepanek overcame a slow start to beat fourth-seed Soderling of Sweden 2-6 6-4 6-3. He now faces Frenchman Gasquet, who bounced back from an awful first set against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win 1-6 6-4 6-2.
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