Injured Roddick pulls out of Washington tournament

WASHINGTON, Aug 1 (Reuters) Andy Roddick withdrew from the Legg Mason Classic because of an abdominal muscle strain he sustained last week in Los Angeles.

The number two seed suffered the injury during his quarter-final victory over fellow American Scott Oudesma.

''Right now it's more soreness than a sharp pain, which is a good thing,'' said Roddick, the 2005 Washington champion. ''When I first did it last Thursday, it felt like someone stabbed me in the side.

''As soon as it happened, I knew I was in trouble.'' Roddick, however, doubts that the injury will hamper his preparations for the US Open, which begins on August. 28 in New York.

''Fortunately, there's still some time for me before the US Open,'' Roddick said. ''It's not like the US Open is next week. I'm still scheduled to play a couple of tournaments before the Open so hopefully I can get out there and be healthy.'' The 23-year-old Roddick, a former world number one, has slipped to 10th in the rankings, though he reached the final in Indianapolis this month.

''It's frustrating for me because I feel I've finally started playing good tennis,'' Roddick said.

Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion who recently hired Jimmy Connors as his coach, was scheduled to play on Wednesday against Jenko Tipsarevic of Serbia and Montenegro.

''If you would have told me four days ago this is what we were dealing with I would have been happy,'' he said. ''Yesterday I thought there was a chance I could play.

''But if I had gotten out there, I would have had hardly any practice. The last thing I'd want to do is re-injure my side with the Open right around the corner.'' Roddick will be replaced in the main draw by American Jan-Michael Gambill.

REUTERS PM PM0912