Two of the leading Australian Open contenders, Martina Hingis and Serena Williams, suffered injury scares at the Sydney International tennis tournament today. Hingis hurt her left leg during her 7-5 4-6 6-2 semi-final win over Kim Clijsters, forcing her to pull out of Friday's doubles final. While Williams retired near the end of the first set of her semi-final against Meghann Shaughnessy.
Williams rolled her right ankle in the fourth game of the match and continued playing after having the injury strapped. But the world number six decided not to continue after the score reached 5-4 in Shaughnessy's favour.
The withdrawal of Williams means Hingis will play Shaughnessy in Saturday's final, although the 21-year-old Swiss remains in some doubt after pulling out of the doubles final where she was to partner Anna Kournikova against Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
