Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi withdrew from the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells ATP Masters Series event in California on Friday with a foot injury.
The 34-year-old American said he woke up on Friday with an extremely sore left toe, which made it impossible for him to play against Australian Lleyton Hewitt.
”It is disappointing,” said Agassi, one of just five men with a career grand slam.
”At first, I thought it was an in-grown toenail. It was blown up like a balloon. It was twice the size.
”I woke up in the middle of the night and the pressure of the sheets alone made it hurt.”
Agassi said he would be going for more tests later on Friday to determine the full extent of the injury. Those tests would include X-rays and an MRI.
Agassi advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Guillermo Coria.
Agassi becomes the second American to withdraw in the past few days after Taylor Dent retired in his fourth-round match, complaining of a stomach illness.
Hewitt moves into the semifinals, where he will play the winner of a later match between Spain’s Carlos Moya and American Andy Roddick. — Sapa-AFP