{blackbabes} Venus Williams withdraws from China Open

BEIJING (AFP) - World number three Venus Williams has withdrawn from the China Open beginning this weekend with a knee injury, a WTA tour official said Friday.

The 30-year-old Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, follows in the footsteps of her world number one sister Serena and reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters, who both had to pull out of the event due to foot injuries.

"Venus' reason for withdrawal was a left knee injury," tour spokeswoman Gina Clement told AFP by email.

Sixteen of the top 20 female players in the world will be in Beijing. Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki—who will battle Russia's Elena Dementieva in Saturday's final at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo—is the top seed.

A bevy of powerful Russians—including world number four Vera Zvonareva, Dementieva, last year's winner Svetlana Kuznetsova and three-time Slam winner Maria Sharapova—will all compete for the title in the Chinese capital.

The China Open, a joint WTA-ATP event, gets under way in Beijing on Saturday with the women's main draw, and on Monday for the men.

On the men's side, world number two Novak Djokovic of Serbia will defend his title. Britain's Andy Murray, Sweden's Robin Soderling and Russia's Nikolay Davydenko—ranked fourth, fifth and sixth by the ATP—are also in the draw.

Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain has withdrawn due to a knee injury, state media reported.