Elite players take a healthy dose of precaution.

Publication: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service)

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COPYRIGHT 2005 South Florida Sun-Sentinal

Byline: Charles Bricker

NEW YORK _ None of the top 10 women staggered out to a practice court and there were no noticeable limps in the players' lounge.

But there was a lengthy list of elite players in and out of the therapy center one day before Monday's start of the U.S. Open, taking pains to assure themselves that recent injuries won't flare up and waylay their run to a Grand Slam title.

Serena Williams has a tender ankle; Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova and the intriguing young Russian, 16th-ranked Ana Ivanovic, all have dealt in the past two weeks with pectoral muscle problems.

Justine Henin-Hardenne, who just disposed of the flu, remains under a careful medical watch for the cytomegalovirus that sapped her energy and ruined her 2004 season.

And the strangely under-publicized defending champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, is hopeful she's...

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