BERLIN, May 5 (UPI) -- Elena Dementieva was forced to retire from her match due to a left foot injury and Japan's Ai Sugiyama was ousted Monday in the first round of the $1.22 million German Open.
This Tier I claycourt event was dealt an immediate setback when Venus Williams withdrew with a left abdominal strain. She suffered the injury in Sunday's J&S Cup final against Amelie Mauresmo in Warsaw, Poland.
Williams was seeded second here behind Belgium's Kim Clijsters. Her withdrawal moves third seed Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium into Williams' spot.
Sugiyama jumped from 13th to ninth in the seedings after Williams' withdrawal, but lost Monday to Switzerland's Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian, 6-1, 7-5.
Dinara Safina of Russia advanced when countrywoman Dementieva was forced to retire in the third set with a strained left foot. Dementieva won the first set, 6-2, but Safina bounced back to win the second set, 6-2 and was leading, 1-0 in the third when Dementieva retired.
