Injury woe for Pierce

Swisscom Challenge, Zurich

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Mary Pierce quit her first round match against Katarina Srebotnik after her fitness problems resurfaced again.

A groin injury forced her to retire against the Slovenian qualifier, who was already leading 6-0 2-0.

The Frenchwoman recently bounced back into the top 32 in the world rankings after a string of injury troubles.

"What's not wrong with me? That's the way I feel," said Pierce, who also complained of sore abdominals as well as flu and a throat infection.

The former French and Australian Open champion. took to court with both thighs strapped but struggled throughout the opening set.

Despite a lengthy injury break before the second set, Pierce continued to struggle, and abandoned plans after Srebotnik won her eighth game in succession.

"I guess I've been playing at a higher level and higher intensity recently and it's taking its toll," Pierce said.

"My body isn't used to that. My body needs to recover and get used to it again."

Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova suffered yet another defeat, and has now failed to make the quarter-finals of a tournament since Eastbourne in June.

The eighth seed went down 7-6 7-5 to Paola Suarez of Argentina.

Russia's Nadia Petrova reached the second round after a straightforward 6-3 6-1 win over home favourite Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian.

Mikaelian reached the quarter-finals in her two previous appearances in Zurich, but has seen her form fall away after a good start to the season.

She was joined by compatriot Elena Bovina who had a similarly trouble-free encounter against Alicia Molik of Australia, winning 6-4 6-1.

The Russian won in just 56 minutes. winning the opening set after a break in the fifth game, and routing Molik in the second after the Australian failed to convert two break points.

There was some joy for the home fans, however, as defending champion Patty Schnyder, beat Greece's Eleni Daniilidou 6-3 6-3.

The Swiss player was untroubled in the opening set as a single break proved enough against a player she defeated in the French Open earlier this year.

Daniilidou then faltered after being broken in the second set and Schnyder produced a forehand winner to close out the win.