ZURICH, Switzerland, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo withdrew Tuesday from the $1.3 million Swisscom Challenge.
Former world No. 1 Venus Williams beat Croat Karolina Sprem 6-2, 6-2. Williams lost to Sprem in straight sets in the second round at Wimbledon this past summer. Williams won here in 1999 and was the 1998 runner-up.
Mauresmo, who got the top-ranking for the first time in her career the week after the U.S. Open, lost the No. 1 spot to Lindsay Davenport when the latest rankings were released Monday.
Mauresmo, 25, is sidelined with a thigh injury, which forced her to retire while battling Davenport in a final in Filderstadt two weeks ago and also forced her to skip last week's Kremlin Cup event in Moscow.
The new No. 1 Davenport and former world No. 1 Serena Williams also are not playing in Zurich this week. Davenport is battling the flu and Serena is nursing a sore knee.
