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Safina pulls out of China Open with back injury

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-22 17:53

BEIJING - Russian world number three Dinara Safina has pulled out of this week's China Open because of a lower back injury, organisers said on Monday.

Russia's Dinara Safina poses with her victory trophy after defeating her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova during their final match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo September 21, 2008. [Agencies]

The in-form 22-year-old beat compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday to win her four WTA Tour title this year, and had been third seed for the $600,000 tournament in Beijing.

Safina hurt her back during the Japan event and her match against Kuznetsova had "worsened her injury a lot," organisers said in a statement.

"After consideration, Safina chose to quit the China Open 2008," the statement added.

The 2008 French Open finalist was among six of the world's top 10 players to enter the tournament, although number one Serena Williams did not make the trip for the Beijing event that finishes on Sunday.