Tennis-Pierce withdraws from Italian Open

ROME, May 12 (Reuters) Mary Pierce has withdrawn from next week's Italian Open in Rome due to a persistent foot injury, the tournament organisers said today.

The Frenchwoman, who won the claycourt event in 1997 and finished runner-up in 1999, has not played a competitive match since pulling out of an indoor tournament in Paris in February.

REUTERS CH PM0005