Injuries mar series event

The Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California, has lost much of its appeal, this week, after former US Open champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, pulled out of the competition. The withdrawal is the third of this week, with Kim Clijsters and Petra Kvitova also choosing to avoid the competition.

Vera Zvonareva is now the number one seed at the event, which forms one part of the US Open Series, closely followed by Andrea Petkovic and Agnieszka Radwanska. Peng Shuai, of China, and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, who lost her first match of the series on Tuesday, are fourth and fifth seeds, respectively. Those looking at the 2011 US Open tennis betting  will have to keep an eye on their fitness.

Kuznetsova is struggling with a groin injury. She announced her absence from this weekend’s tournament via her Twitter account.
“Sorry, guys. I have to say I won’t defend my title in San-Diego and very sad about it,” she said.

The Russian player turned professional when she was just 15. The now-26-year-old won the US Open in 2004 and the Roland Garros in 2009. However, she has yet to progress beyond the quarter finals at the Australian Open or at Wimbledon.

The remaining absentees, Kim Clijsters and Petra Kvitova, have pulled out of the Mercury Insurance Open due to injuries. “I’m still recovering from an injury that happened at Wimbledon”, explained

Clijsters. Kvitova, on the other hand, is suffering from a pulled abdominal muscle. The Czech player would have been making her debut at the event.

It is currently unknown whether the trio of injuries will have any effect on the match schedule at the 2011 US Open but those following the online tennis betting will need to keep up to date.

American player, Vania King, who claimed two Grand Slams, last year, by winning the doubles tournament at Wimbledon and later, at the US Open, will replace the injured Kuznetsova. Five-time Grand Slam winner, Martina Hingis, will also attend the Mercury Insurance Open,albeit on Monday August 1.