Tennis: Kournikova to miss French Open

Russian star Anna Kournikova has withdrawn from the French Open due to a "persistent foot injury".

The world number eight has not played in a tournament since losing to France's Amelie Mauresmo in the quarter-finals of the Gaz de France indoor championship in February.

The Grand Slam event starts in two weeks at Roland Garos.

The glamorous 19-year-old withdrew from the Ericsson Open in March shortly before the start of the event after being sidelined with a stress fracture in her foot.

She has never won a singles title on the WTA circuit.

Kournikova reached the second round of last year's French Open. Her best performances in the tournament came in 1998 and 1999 when she reached the fourth round.

Kournikova will be replaced in the French Open singles draw by Maria-Jose Martinez of Spain.