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Venus pulls out of Madrid Open with back problem

Venus Williams of the U.S. returns a shot to Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan at the Sony Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity

(Reuters) – Former world number one Venus Williams has been forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to a back problem, organizers said on Sunday.

Venus Williams of the U.S. returns a shot to Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan at the Sony Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida March 21, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity

The 32-year-old American, now ranked 21, was due to play her first-round match against Spanish wild card Anabel Medina Garrigues on the clay at the premier event on Sunday.

She will be replaced in the draw by 56th-ranked Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland.

(Reporting by Iain Rogers; Editing by John O’Brien)

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