TENNIS in DEPTH.

Former world number one Dinara Safina and Spain’s Maria Martinez Sanchez have withdrawn from Wimbledon.

Safina, who was seeded 20th, is suffering from a back injury, while 22nd seed Sanchez has a knee problem.

The two players will be replaced by Melanie Oudin and Kateryna Bondarenko, seeded 33 and 34 respectively.

Safina’s ongoing back problem has led to speculation that it might curtail her career. She has been close mouthed on the subject(as she should be), but did disclose a few ago that her doctors have advised her that her condition is ‘serious’.

Ernests Gulbis has become the latest seeded player to withdraw from Wimbledon due to injury.

The 27th-seeded Latvian has been forced to pull out with a hamstring injury, a move which sees Germany’s Philipp Petzschner move into the seedings at number 33.

Lucky loser Santiago Ventura of Spain has been drafted in to the men’s singles main draw as a result of Gulbis’ withdrawal.

Ivo Karlovic, Radek Stepanek, David Nalbandian, Richard Gasquet and Mario Ancic are other notable absentees from the men’s draw due to injury.

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