MADRID, Spain -- Maria Sharapova clinched the final place at the season-ending WTA Championships and Venus Williams withdrew because of dizzy spells.
The top eight players qualify for the $3 million event, and Williams opted out despite sitting seventh in the standings. The Wimbledon champion said she hasn't recovered after experiencing dizzy spells at the U.S. Open.
"The accumulation of matches has taken its toll and I have received several medical opinions to delay my return to competitive tennis," Williams said in a statement Sunday. "I look forward to playing in the New Year for what will hopefully be an even better 2008."
Sharapova won her debut at the 2004 WTA Championships and has qualified every year since.
"This has been a very frustrating year for me physically, but I'm a big competitor and am determined to compete at the WTA Championships," Sharapova said.
Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Anna Chakvetadze and Daniela Hantuchova also will play in the Nov. 6-11 event at the Madrid Arena.
Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli is the first alternate.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Source: ESPN.com
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