9 Apr 2011

Safina retires hurt from Andalucia quarter-finals

6:40 am on 9 April 2011

The former world number one Dinara Safina was forced to abandon her quarter-final against top seed Victoria Azarenka at the Andalucia Tennis Championships on Saturday because of a lower back injury.

Azarenka of Belarus, winner in Miami last week, was leading 5-1 when Russian Safina, who has slipped to 81 in the rankings, retired from the event in Marbella.

Azarenka will meet Sara Errani in Sunday's semi-finals after the eighth-seeded Italian beat fourth seed Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania 6-2 6-2.