March 12 (Reuters) – Former French Open champion
Francesca Schiavone became the latest victim of the widespread
viral infection at Indian Wells when she pulled out of her
third-round match in the WTA tournament on Monday.
The 10th-seeded Schiavone, who won her only grand slam
singles title at Roland Garros in 2010, withdrew because of a
stomach virus when trailing Czech Lucie Safarova 2-6.
Safarova will next face either Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli or
South African Chanelle Scheepers, who were playing later on
Monday.
At least eight players competing at Indian Wells have
already succumbed to the virus, which local health authorities
have described as a 48-hour bug transmitted by air and direct
contact and not via food.
Among the casualties were ninth-seeded Russian Vera
Zvonareva, who pulled out before her third-round match on
Sunday, and 14th-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils, who exited the
ATP tournament on Sunday.
Monfils, who had been set to play his first match against
Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the second round, was replaced by
lucky loser Bjorn Phau of Germany.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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