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Henin pulls out of China Open

BEIJING
Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:45am EDT
Justine Henin of Belgium poses with the trophy after defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the women's final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, September 8, 2007. Henin has pulled out of next week's China Open because of a respiratory infection, organizers said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

BEIJING (Reuters) - World number one Justine Henin has pulled out of next week's China Open because of a respiratory infection, organizers said on Wednesday.

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The 25-year-old Belgian won her second U.S. Open title last weekend and had been number one seed for the $585,000 WTA tournament.

In a statement released by the organizers, Henin's agent Ken Meyerson said she had been enthusiastic about playing in the Chinese capital less than a year before the Beijing Olympics.

"She went to a doctor in Brussels about her recurring respiratory issues/asthma. The doctor told her to take three weeks off," Meyerson said, adding that Henin was also doubtful for the Stuttgart Grand Prix event starting on October 1

World number three Jelena Jankovic of Serbia has said she wants to play and will be given a wild card, organizers said.

Beijing's notorious pollution was in evidence on Wednesday and the tournament weather forecast described the air quality as "unhealthy".
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