Black Tennis Pros

BEIJING (AFP) — Former Olympic tennis champion Lindsay Davenport pulled out of the Beijing singles tournament on Friday with a knee injury, a US official said.

The 1996 gold medallist has been struggling with the problem since it forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.

"It's still complications from the knee injury that forced her to pull out of Wimbledon," a team spokesman said.

"There's concern about being able to play potentially 11 matches on it."

It was not clear whether Davenport, who remains in the doubles tournament, would be fit for the US Open on August 25.

The 32-year-old former world number one, who returned to the circuit last year after giving birth to a baby boy, has previously said she had "no plans" beyond the Olympics and the US Open.

Davenport remains in the doubles competition where she will partner Liezel Huber. She earlier spoke about her injury without announcing a pull-out.

"It's doing a bit better. I've been resting it since I hurt it at Wimbledon," she told a press conference on Friday.

"For me it's a thrill to be back no matter what happens."

The six-foot-two-and-a-half (1.89m) Californian is a luminary of the women's game after winning Grand Slams in three consecutive years between 1998 and 2000.

She returned to the circuit in September after giving birth to baby Jagger last June and has won in Auckland and Memphis this year, taking her career total to 55.

Davenport picked up the knee problem playing in Eastbourne in July and was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after her first-round win against Czech player Renata Voracova.

"There's two events that I've been wanting to play since I've been back," she said at the time.

"The Olympics were number one. That's on the forefront of my mind. To play in New York another time. After that, I have no plans."

On Friday, Davenport said the Olympics were the longest time she had been away from her baby.

"It just wasn't feasible for it to happen. I figure this is probably one of the last times it'll be that way so I'm looking forward to taking advantage of it," she said.

"Unfortunately it just didn't work out this time. They're with me in spirit."