...............TENNIS HEADLINES...............

The American is the ninth player to either pull out or retire from the $US1 million ($NZ1.73 million) tournament.

Seventh seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia had to save a match point before putting out Slovenia's Katerina Srebotnik 3-6 7-5 7-6 while American Lisa Raymond upset eighth seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-0 2-6 6-4.

Capriati's retirement was yet another blow for the organisers after injury had already forced out world No 1 Serena Williams, No 4 Venus Williams, Russian Vera Zvonareva, Americans Monica Seles, Ashley Harkleroad and Alexandra Stevenson, Natalie Dechy of France and Swiss Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian.

"It's a long season and, with the grind of the tour, there's not much time to take a break, let alone recover," Capriati told reporters.

The American reached the final of last week's Bank of the West Classic despite experiencing pain in her shoulder. "It's also a totally individual sport and you are taking on responsibilities. I don't feel like I can sit back and not try to play," said Capriati. "Plus, the game is so much more powerful now and maybe some of the girls are over-training trying to get stronger." Capriati said her right rotator cuff began bothering her after Wimbledon. She began icing her shoulder last week and, during her final defeat by Kim Clijsters, took an injury timeout to treat a pectoral strain.

The 2002 Australian Open champion was only on court for nine minutes against Likhovtseva before her pectoral strain became too painful to continue. "It hurt me every time I made contact with the ball," said Capriati. "I was afraid to go for it and risk injuring it some more."

Despite the injury hoodoo, Capriati expects all the top players to return for next month's US Open. "Everyone seems to get better as soon as the grand slams roll around," she said. Hantuchova was thrilled with her victory over Srebotnik after losing two long three-set matches at the French Open and Wimbledon. "I'm really happy because this win will give me more belief in myself," Hantuchova said. "Those two losses at the French and Wimbledon helped me here because I remembered how terribly I felt after losing them and I didn't want to have that happen again. I had to keep fighting."

Former French and Australian Open champion Mary Pierce of France knocked out 11th-seeded Spaniard Conchita Martinez 6-1 6-3 while 10th seed Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria trounced Australia's Alicia Molik 6-1 6-3. Second seed Clijsters will play the night match against Spain's Virginia Ruano-Pascual.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2589149a6562,00.html