Former USC standout Maria Sanchez has been forced to withdraw from this week’s USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoff, citing precautionary reasons related to knee tendinitis, Tennis Grandstandreports. The event will be held on December 14-16 at Life Time Athletic & Tennis at Peachtree Corners in Norcross, Georgia.
Sanchez becomes the third player to withdraw from the event, joining Jack Sock (who wants to continue off-season training) and Steve Johnson (shoulder trouble). Eighteen-year-old Grace Min will replace Sanchez, while Tim Smyczek and Chase Buchanan are replacing Sock and Johnson.
Eight men and eight women will compete in the fourth annual Wild Card Playoffs, with each winner earning a singles main-draw wild card into the 2013 Australian Open. The USTA and Tennis Australia have reciprocal wild-card agreements.
Other male players competing include Bradley Klahn, Rhyne Williams, Denis Kudla, Tennys Sandgren, Daniel Kosakowski, and Christian Harrison.
Also competing in the women’s field are Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Irina Falconi, Madison Keys, Alexa Glatch, Julia Cohen, Alison Riske, and Mallory Burdette.