Tearful Sania joins Beijing casualty list

BEIJING  - A tearful Sania Mirza retired from the Olympic singles tournament with a right wrist injury on Monday, shattering her "dream" to play here and dealing a blow to Indian hopes.

Mirza, who only returned to action in June after surgery on the wrist, was trailing Czech player Iveta Benesova 6-1, 2-1 when she pulled out.

"I've been feeling constant pain for the last two weeks," she said, wiping away tears as she spoke to reporters.

"I've been on pain killers for the last six days. I took four this morning.

"It's unfortunate timing, it's very bad but there's nothing I can do."

ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti dismissed fears that players were not taking the Olympics seriously after a series of withdrawals.