Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Gustavo Kuerten limped out of the Australian Open today.
Americans Agassi, suffering a recurrence of an old right wrist injury he says could be career-threatening, and Williams, who has an ankle injury, cried off before they had even played a ball.
Kuerten, who has won the French Open three times on the famous red clay court of Roland Garros, hobbled out against unseeded Frenchman Julien Boutter.
The Brazilian, who needed treatment for a back injury in the fourth set, has yet to win more than four matches at Melbourne Park. Boutter dismantled the Brazilian's game for a stubborn five-set triumph.
Mary Pierce, another crowd puller here and the 1995 champion, was also out quickly, with an abdominal injury suffered against American Jill Craybas.
Organisers will be grateful that Venus Williams, the US Open and Wimbledon champion, saved their blushes with an easy straight sets victory over American qualifier Ansley Cargill.
Britain's Tim Henman also remains in the hunt after beating Australian Todd Larkham. Four-times winner Monica Seles, seeded eight, beat Switzerland's Patty Schnyder and is scheduled to meet Venus in the last eight.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, the 1999 champion seeded four, raced through in straight sets against German qualifier Michael Kohlmann.
AFP