BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- World number one Ana Ivanovic announced on Sunday that she pulls out of the Olympic tennis event due to her injury in the right thumb, adding the last straw to the organisers who had only nine matches finished on the opening day due to rain.
"The Olympics is such a big event, it is so exciting and it is my first trip to the Olympic Games, I really feel painful to make the decision, it was the hardest moment of my career," the Serbian sensation said at the press conference.
"After Wimbledon, I just had two weeks' holiday, but when I came back to training I found something wrong in my right thumb. It was too much pain that I could not even hold a ball. I tried many ways to heal it and even when I went to play in Montreal, I did not stop the treatment."
After being ousted by China's Zheng Jie in the thrid round of the Wimbledon, the 20-year-old girl only played in an event in Montreal where she exited in the second round. Along with compatriots Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic, she was tipped as one of the Olympic hopes for the European country which made the Olympic debut as an independent country.
"After coming here, I try to practise and treat everyday, hoping to recover in time for the Beijing Games, but the doctor said that I really need to take care of the hand before. It was just too much pain. I felt disappointed.
"I hope I can recover in two weeks' time and don't miss the U.S. Open."
Before the Serb's announcement, event organisers have decided to cancel 36 of all the 45 matches on the order of play on Sunday due to the heavy rain.
"It is normal that tennis matches are suspended due to weather conditions, and we have planned for that and are able to catch up with the order of play by adding more courts and time," said chief tennis organiser Chen Shu.
Weather reports said that more rain will be expected on Monday and a busy order of play will be worked out for Monday, according to the organisers.
On a schedule that has already been postponed by two and a half hours due to early morning dribble, eighth seed James Blake from the United States became the first player to finish playing before an even heavier rainstorm.
Serena Williams had to go back to the locker room three times during her match against Olga Govortsova of Belarus, who was trailing at 6-3, 2-1 while China's Peng Shuai was leading 7-5, 2-0 over Carla Suarez Navarro from Spain when it was raining cats and dogs.
Under a leaden sky, Blake stormed the first set in only 23 minutes but met serious resistance in the second set before beating the Australian 6-3, 7-6(3).
"It's nice to get through with a win and it doesn't matte what a guy's ranked. Cuccione served really great and I'm relly thrilled to get through and especially on a day when the weather could have been tough," Blake told Xinhua in the mixed zone. Cuccione won 80 percent on his first serve compared to 58 percent of Blake and the Australian also powered 11 aces in the match.
"It was a ton of emotions. It's a great feeling you know. Davis Cup is one thing, but it's the same kind of nerves when you'are playing for something more than just yourself in the Olympics. it's a ton of fun," said Blake, who hit 20 winners in the match.
"It's tough sometimes to sleep when you want to watch more events and be around with all of the guys. I have a tough time, so just to be able to get through is a great feeling. I was definitely anxious and nervous at the start."
With top-ranked American Andy Roddick not playing in Beijing, No. 8 seed Blake is shouldering US hopes for an Olympic medal in men's singles. Although he has yet to win a title this year, all 10 of his career singles titles have been won on hard court which is the surface in the Olympic tennis event.
"I was sitting around watching Michael Phelps set a world record beforehand and it's incredible to see the kind of emotions it spurs. To think he's inspiring the nation and then me to have the opportunity to go out there and do the same."
Blake will also have Sam Querrey and Robby Ginepri play side by side in singles' draw while in men's doubles, the Bryans brothers, now ranked second in the world, will be expected to bring medals for the United States.
Elsewhere, Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko beat Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-4, 6-2 while the 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez from Chile enjoyed an easy win over home-favored Sun Peng 6-4, 6-4.
