Newz Forum: OLYMPICS: Capriati pulls out of Athens

ATHENS (AP) - Jennifer Capriati was forced to pull out of the Athens Games with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Lisa Raymond, a team spokesman told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Capriati won a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games, but she missed the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. She told coach Zina Garrison on Sunday she couldn't play in the Olympics because of the injury, which has been bothering Capriati since July.

Raymond, who was to play doubles with Martina Navratilova, was picked for the singles spot vacated by Capriata, spokesman Randy Walker said.

"She's the highest ranked player who is in the tournament who wasn't competing in singles," Walker said. "But now she will be playing singles and doubles with Martina Navratilova."

The duo reached the semifinals at Wimbledon this year before losing to South Africa's Liezel Huber and Japan's Ai Sugiyama 7-6 (7-4), 7-5.

Raymond, a native of Norristown, Pa., who turned 31 Tuesday, is a right-hander ranked No. 40 by the Women's Tennis Association who has four WTA singles titles.

In July, Capriati withdrew from the JPMorgan Chase Open, citing a hamstring injury. At the time, she said she hoped to be able to play in the Olympics, which start Friday.

"I'm really looking forward to competing this summer, especially in the Olympics and the U.S. Open," she said in July.

Capriati played in the WTA Tour Rogers Cup in Montreal last week, losing to Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.