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Mauresmo, Safin out of running

Amelie Mauresmo and Marat Safin pulled out of Wimbledon with injuries on Friday, while Alex Corretja withdrew for the fifth year in a row -- this time because of the birth of his first child.

Mauresmo, the sixth-seeded Frenchwoman, withdrew with a rib injury. Safin, the No. 18 Russian, cited a hand problem. Sweden's unseeded Magnus Norman also pulled out with an unspecified injury.

The two-week tournament begins Monday and, with so many players pulling out, tournament officials have had to make frequent changes to the draw which was made Tuesday.

Spain's Albert Costa, seeded No. 24, withdrew Thursday.

Other players who have withdrawn include former champions Goran Ivanisevic and Richard Krajicek, Marcelo Rios, Monica Seles, Anna Kournikova, former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, 1998 French Open winner Carlos Moya and Tommy Haas. Ivanisevic, Moya, Costa, Corretja, Rios and Haas all withdrew last year, too.

Mauresmo reached the semifinals at Wimbledon last year and was due to play a qualifier in the first round.

Safin, who reached the second round last year and the quarterfinals in 2001, was to face qualifier Michal Mertinak of Slovakia in the first round.

Corretja, a two-time French Open runner-up who prefers to play on clay, hasn't played at Wimbledon since 1998. He withdrew to go to Barcelona to be with his wife, Marta, after the birth of their first child, a daughter named Aroa.

Mauresmo was replaced in the women's draw by Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. Kuznetsova now plays American Bea Bielik. Seda Noorlander, a lucky loser, moved into Kuznetsova's original place in the draw.

Safin's place in the men's draw was initially filled by Corretja and the Spaniard's spot was taken by Czech player Tomas Zib, who will face No. 10 Tim Henman of Britain. Corretja's withdrawal means the Spaniard is replaced by Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, who meets Mertinak. Stefano Galvanitakes Stepanek's original place.

Mauresmo lost 6-1, 6-2 to Serena Williams in the French Open quarterfinals earlier this month.

French sports daily L'Equipe said Mauresmo sustained a torn rib muscle this week during the Ordina Open in Rosmalen, Netherlands, where she lost in the first round to Barbara Rittner.

Safin has sustained ankle and wrist injuries this season. He won the US Open in 2000 and was regarded as the world's top player at the time. He missed the French Open with a wrist injury.
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