Serena Williams Pulls Out of Cincinnati Due to Foot

Serena Williams withdrew from the Western & Southern Open with a sore toe on Wednesday and described it as "a blessing in disguise" on the eve of the US Open.

She showed no sign of any toe problem in beating Lucie Hradecka 6-3, 7-6 in the first round on Tuesday. But she did admit to being tired towards the end and was definitely restricted in some of her movement.
Serena has bigger challenges ahead, not the least being returning to Flushing Meadows later this month for

the first time since her semi-final against Kim Clijsters two years ago when she abused a line judge for calling a foot fault against her on what turned out to be the final point of the match as it led to a decisive penalty point against her.

Asked if this injury was a complication of the cut to her foot she suffered after the 2010 Wimbledon tournament, an injury that kept her out for more than a year, she said: "It is but not nearly as extreme. It's just a bit of an aggravation because I think I've been pounding it a lot and playing a lot.

"I felt it a little bit [against Hradecka] and I thought – because I felt it before – OK, this is normal. But I don't think this is a good time for me to take a big chance. I just don't think that would be smart.

"I woke up this morning not feeling excellent and then went to the gym to see how it felt before I hit practice. That definitely didn't sit well. There is a little swelling, so I thought it would be a wise decision. I talked to my dad and I called Venus. She advised that I do what's best for me, which would be to take care of my body.

Serena Williams in action Tuesday in Cincinnati

Big Day of Action on Wednesday at Western & Southern Open

ORDER OF PLAY - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17  

CENTER COURT start 11:00 am
[7] Mardy Fish (USA) vs Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) - ATP
[Q] Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) - ATP
Not Before 2:30 PM
Serena Williams (USA) vs [10] Samantha Stosur (AUS) - WTA
Not Before 7:00 PM
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [WC] Ryan Harrison (USA) - ATP
Not Before 8:30 PM
[3] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) vs Shahar Peer (ISR) - WTA

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
[1] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs [WC] Christina Mchale (USA) - WTA
David Nalbandian (ARG) vs [4] Andy Murray (GBR) - ATP
[5] David Ferrer (ESP) vs [WC] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) - ATP
Not Before 7:00 PM
[9] Andrea Petkovic (GER) vs [LL] Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) - WTA
Scott Lipsky (USA) / Bruno Soares (BRA) vs [7] Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) / Marcin Matkowski (POL) - ATP

COURT 3 start 11:00 am
Ivan Dodig (CRO) vs [6] Gael Monfils (FRA) - ATP
Nadia Petrova (RUS) vs [15] Ana Ivanovic (SRB) - WTA
[15] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs [Q] Alex Bogomolov Jr. (USA) - ATP
[4] Maria Kirilenko (RUS) / Nadia Petrova (RUS) vs [WC] Julia Goerges (GER) / Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) - WTA - after suitable rest
Not Before 7:00 PM
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) vs [10] Gilles Simon (FRA) - ATP
Natalie Grandin (RSA) / Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE) vs [7] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) / Lucie Hradecka (CZE) - WTA

COURT 9 start 11:00 am
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) vs [7] Francesca Schiavone (ITA) - WTA
[13] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs [Q] Jie Zheng (CHN) - WTA
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) vs [2] Vera Zvonareva (RUS) - WTA
Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL) / Alicja Rosolska (POL) vs [2] Gisela Dulko (ARG) / Flavia Pennetta (ITA) - WTA - after suitable rest
Johanna Larsson (SWE) / Jasmin Woehr (GER) vs Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) / Jie Zheng (CHN) - WTA - after suitable rest

COURT 4 start 11:00 am
[14] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs [Q] Petra Cetkovska (CZE) - WTA
Michael Llodra (FRA) vs Fernando Verdasco (ESP) - ATP
Kevin Anderson (RSA) vs [12] Richard Gasquet (FRA) - ATP
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) / Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs [Alt] Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) / Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) - ATP - after suitable rest

COURT 6 start 11:00 am
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) vs Feliciano Lopez (ESP) - ATP
[Q] Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Andrey Golubev (KAZ) - ATP
[1] Kveta Peschke (CZE) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) vs Casey Dellacqua (AUS) / Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) - WTA
Tomas Berdych (CZE) / Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Nicolas Almagro (ESP) / Pablo Andujar (ESP) - ATP - after suitable rest

COURT 7 start 11:00 am
[9] Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs Ivo Karlovic (CRO) - ATP
Not Before 1:00 PM
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) vs Flavia Pennetta (ITA) - WTA
[5] Liezel Huber (USA) / Lisa Raymond (USA) vs Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) / Polona Hercog (SLO) - WTA
[WC] Alexa Glatch (USA) / Christina Mchale (USA) vs [3] Vania King (USA) / Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) - WTA

COURT 10 start 11:00 am
[17] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) vs [Q] Petra Martic (CRO) - WTA
Sara Errani (ITA) vs [16] Shuai Peng (CHN) - WTA
[WC] Sloane Stephens (USA) / Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) vs Sara Errani (ITA) / Roberta Vinci (ITA) - WTA - after suitable rest 

Pictures From Western & Southern Open: Tuesday

Many great matches today highlighted by a great doubles match featuring none other than Rafael Nadal

It was Novak Djokovic's first day on the ground in CincinnatiAnastasia Pavlyuchenkova went down to defeat at the hands of Flavia PennettaIvo Karlovic won his first match

Serena Williams was on Center CourtJelena Jankovic won her opening matchRafael Nadal was pumped to play doublesJurgen Melzer lost a tough 3-setter

Photos From the Western & Southern Open: Monday

Great matches were played all over the grounds today.  A few upsets, some comebacks and some big names looked impressive.

The WTA had the top players available to talk to this afternoon and everyone was in a good mood.

Caroline Wozniacki talked tennis, Grand Slams and RoryVictoria Azarenka is not one that enjoys all the media questions, but she was cordialMaria Sharapova joked around and had a good timeIt was hard to miss Maria Sharapova's ringFlavia PennettaJarmila Gajdosova hits her forehandAndrea Petkovic won her first roundHantuchova in action on Court 3Sofia Arvidsson, lucky loser had the biggest comeback of the day. She won after trailing 0-6, 0-2.

Pictures From Western & Southern Open: Sunday

A day where qualifying matches wrapped up, and main draw matches started on the men's side.

Most of the top names were on the practice courts.  Another big day tomorrow.

Here are some of today's images:

Bojana Jovanovski won her qualifying matchJohn Isner and Roger Federer chat for a momentRoger Federer practicesTommy Haas worked out a good 2 hous with FedererHere's your Wimbledon champ, Petra KvitovaAnd a former Wimbledon champ, Maria SharapovaFrank Schiavone is intense in practiceFernando VerdascoRafa Nadal didn't waste much time before he started cracking forehands