Victoria Azarenka withdraws from Western & Southern Open with right knee injury
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Victoria Azarenka, from Belarus, answers questions during a news conference at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Mason, Ohio. Azarenka is the defending champion at the event. (AP Photo/Al Behrman) (The Associated Press)
Defending champion Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Western & Southern Open because of a right knee injury.
The WTA says Azarenka withdrew after practicing on Tuesday. Azarenka was replaced in the draw by Mona Barthel.
Azarenka injured her knee in her first-round win at Wimbledon and played in two tournaments after the grass-court major.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She hopes to be ready for the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 25.