World No.4 Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup in Montreal due to a left knee injury. Williams was supposed to play in Montreal for the first time.
Top-ranked Serena Williams will also miss the event because of the right foot injury she sustained when stepping on broken glass at a restaurant. Another Top 5 player, Samantha Stosur, will not play the US Open warmup either, because of an arm injury.
Let’s recall the words of the Montreal tournament director, Eugene Lapierre, when he initially refused to give Ana Ivanovic a wildcard:
“If we didn’t already have the best players in the world, if we didn’t get all the players we think we can get, my choice would certainly be for the wild cards to go to international players, because you want to sell the attraction. But we have them, so it’s normal to give the chance to young players.”
Fellow blogger C Note said it well: “But it’s ok, you guys! They have Stephanie Dubois and Valerie Tetreault! They’ll be fine.” (photo: Ralf Reinecke)
Has she really never played it? Wow! In so many years on the circuit it’s quite a wonder she managed to skip this one.
On another note, Eugene’s big boss chair is probably shaking below him. He’s done quite a PR disaster for the event and as if that was not enough he’s not going to have any big name to draw fans in. I think Rogers Cup is going to do some hiring and firing soon…
The comments of the incredibly stupid Lapierre are a total embarassment for Montrealers!! His complete lack of diplomacy was uncalled for, and with a couple of senseless statements, he has managed to ruin what was a special tournament for Ivanovic, turning it into a nightmare. She may never come back to Montreal because of that imbecile. I hope he is forced to retire! Personally, I don’t care to see non-ranked, lousy Canadian players… we pay to see the super stars of tennis. But idiotic bureaucrats apparently don’t care about pleasing the fans so much.
Marine, Venus has played the tournament, but not in Montreal, just in Toronto, although not too pany times either, compare her activity to Ivanovic’s:
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/page/Player/Activity/0,,12781~9027,00.html
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/page/Player/Activity/0,,12781~10999,00.html
Select Toronto, don’t select the year and you’ll see.
France, I totally agree. It’s soooooo idiotic to not have stars there. I like their initiative to support young talents but it has to have some limits cos otherwise it will have a quality of ITF tournament.
BTW why Lena isn’t coming? she is a defending champion.
LuLinQa, Elena is going to be there.
Thanks God, I just thought no cos she isn’t mentioned in the article.
LuLinQa, I mentioned just the Top 5 players in this article.
Serena, Venus, Justine, Maria and Ana are out of Montreal. Are Kim and Sveta the only GS girls which will play there?
Maja J, French Open champion Francesca Schiavone will play, she’s seeded 6th.