Natalie Dechy of France, the singles semifinalist at the ongoing Australian Open, is among the five players who have decided to withdraw from the upcoming Toray Pan Pacific Open women's tennis tournament due to injuries, organizers said Friday.
Last year's finalist Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria, Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, and U.S. players Lisa Raymond and Meghann Shaughnessy will also miss the Feb. 1-6 tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium which offers total prize money of $1.3 million.
As a result, Japan's Saori Obata booked herself a spot in the tournament according to the world rankings along with up-and-coming 21-year-old Aiko Nakamura, who will make her Pan Pacific Open debut as an organizers' invitee.