Draper, Courier, Rusedski Withdraw From L.A. Event

Jim Courier, Greg Rusedski of Great Britain and Scott Draper of Australia withdrew from next week’s Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center.

The tournament still includes a strong field of six-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Tim Henman of Great Britain and Marcelo Rios of Chile. Agassi is the defending champion.

The 10th-ranked Rusedski, a finalist at the 1997 U.S. Open, has been hampered by a sore left big toe since the French Open. He was prepared to play in Los Angeles, but a doctor told him the toe could get worse if he did not take a break.

Rusedski was entered last year as well but could not play because of a lingering ankle injury.

Courier, ranked 41st, has a sore hamstring. In Davis Cup quarterfinal action against Australia, he lost his singles match to Patrick Rafter in straight sets Friday. Courier did not play the meaningless reverse singles match Sunday against Lleyton Hewitt because of the injury.

Draper’s wife, Kellie, died Monday in Australia after being rushed to a Gold Coast hospital. Kellie Draper, 23, fought a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis. The couple had been married less than two years.

Apparently, her latest hospitalization caught everyone by surprise, according to Draper’s manager.

“It’s gut-wrenching, but I didn’t want to see her suffer any more,” Draper said in a statement released by the ATP. “I know she’s resting comfortably now.”

The 25-year-old Draper, who is ranked 80th, won Queen’s Club in London on grass last year.