Venus withdraws from US Open

Venus Williams has withdrawn from the US Open ahead of her second-round match against 22nd seed Sabine Lisicki.

The American came into the tournament not having played since Wimbledon because of a virus and, after her first-round win over Vesna Dolonts, Williams admitted she had only resumed full practice last week.

She looked understandably rusty and appeared still to be struggling with the virus, and the reason for her withdrawal was given as "an unspecified illness".