• Australian Open build-up

Del Potro suffers injury scare

Juan Martin del Potro is seeded fourth for next week's Australian Open © Getty Images

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US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro is expected to recover in time for next week's Australian Open after suffering a wrist injury.

The world No.4 withdrew from his semi-final tie with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Kooyong Classic warm-up event in Melbourne, while Robin Soderling was forced to retire from his dead rubber with Ivan Lubicic with a recurrence of an elbow injury.

2008 Australian Open finalist Tsonga will now play Fernando Verdasco in the final after the Spanish No.2 pulled off a surprise victory over world No.3 Novak Djokovic. Verdasco, who beat Fernando Gonzales of Chile 7-5 6-1 in his opening match, thrashed Djokovic 6-1 6-2.

Djokovic admitted he was far from his best but insisted he was unconcerned by the defeat. "The results don't really matter," he said. "The main point of my participation here is to get a good practice, get some points and games before the Australian Open, which is of course my main priority.

The 2008 Australian Open champion has been campaigning for a reduced tour schedule this week, and admitted that last year's schedule has taken its toll. "I played a lot of matches last year, almost a hundred matches so I, to be honest, I'm a bit fed up with the matches," he said.

Meanwhile, at the Sydney International, four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt crashed out after letting a first-set lead over Marcos Baghdatis slip. The four-time champion took an early advantage, but Baghdatis made an impressive turnaround, winning six straight games to take the second set, and win the match 4-6 6-2 6-3.

Baghdatis will face Mardy Fish, who saw off Australian wildcard Peter Luczak, while in the other semi-final Richard Gasquet will play Julien Benneteau.

In the women's draw Serena Williams was forced to come from a set down against world No.27 Aravane Rezai to win 3-6 7-5 6-4. She will now face defending champion Elena Dementieva in the final after she defeated Belarusian world No.7 Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-1 in the other semi-final.

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