Top Seeds Withdraw From Winston Salem

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 20th August 2013

Top Seeds Withdraw From Winston Salem

epa03765860 Andreas Seppi of Italy returns to Kei Nishikori of Japan during their third round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 29 June 2013. EPA/GERRY PENNY |

The air went out of this week’s Winston Salem Open when two of the top three seeds withdrew before the start, leaving Italy’s Andreas Seppi to the field in the last ATP tournament prior to Monday’s start of the US Open. Cincinnati finalist John Isner, a local boy, and Czech Tomas Berdych, a Cincinnati semi-finalist who put out Andy Murray before losing to Rafael Nadal, both citing injuries.

Berdych claimed a shoulder problem while Isner, winner of all three editions of the event played near his boyhood home, called it all off due to a hip injury he suffered last week at the Masters 1000 in Ohio.,

Both top seed Berdych and No.3 Isner traveled to the event to make their withdrawals in person and have doctor’s examinations under ATP rules. “It’s really unfortunate I have to withdraw from the Winston-Salem Open, one of my favorite tournaments of the year,” said Isner.

“I’ve had so much success playing in front of great crowds as well as my friends and family. This was a really tough decision but with injuries taking me out of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, I need to fully heal prior to the US Open.”

Isner pulled out after speaking to doctors about his condition. He had already begun hedging his bets about playing after he lost the Cincinnati final to Nadal saying he would head to the next tournament and see how he felt on the day.

Fifth-ranked Berdych lost the final a year ago to Isner, ranked 14th this week after dropping out of the top 20 a week ago. Lucky losers from qualifying round will replace the seeded pair in the tournament draw.