Tennis Capsules: SWilliams needs foot surgery, will miss 3 events

Serena Williams needs surgery on her right foot after cutting it on a broken glass at a restaurant.

The top-ranked women’s player was injured last week and will miss three tournaments leading to the U.S. Open, the WTA Tour said Saturday.

Williams has withdrawn from tournaments in Istanbul, Cincinnati and Montreal. The tour website offered no details about what happened at the restaurant.

“I’m so upset I won’t be able to play in the upcoming events because of this foot surgery,” Williams said on the website. “Thank you for all of your support. I can’t wait to get back on the courts.”

A message left with her agent was not immediately returned.

On Monday, World TeamTennis said Williams would miss the entire season. Her Washington Kastles team said she cut the bottom of her foot and needed stitches.

On July 10, Williams attended the wedding of Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony in New York. In a photo, it appeared she had two bandages on the top of her right foot.

Williams won her fourth Wimbledon crown and 13th major title in July. The Rogers Cup in Montreal begins Aug. 16, and the U.S. Open starts Aug. 30.

After winning the Australian Open at the end of January, Williams was sidelined through April because of an injured left knee. She lost in the French Open quarterfinals in June before capturing Wimbledon.

Soderling, Almagro reach Swedish Open final

BASTAD, Sweden — Defending champion Robin Soderling has rallied to reach the final of the Swedish Open, where he will face Nicolas Almagro.

Soderling edged David Ferrer of Spain in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday.

Ferrer started well, breaking Soderling in the third game of the match and went on to win the first set.

The big-serving Swede, who had 11 aces in the match, came back to win after breaking Ferrer once in the second and twice in the third.

Fourth-seeded Almagro swept Tommy Robredo 6-1, 6-3 on center court in only 68 minutes.

Two-time champion Robredo was no match for Almagro, who broke his serve three times in the first set.

Montanes vs Monfils for Mercedes Cup finalSTUTTGART, Germany — Fifth-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero for the first time in his career to reach the Mercedes Cup final.

Montanes, bidding for his second ATP clay-court title of the season, knocked off former French Open champion Ferrero 6-3, 7-6 (6) on Saturday. Montanes had lost his previous five matches against Ferrero.

In the final, he will take on third-seeded Gael Monfils of France.

Monfils reached his first ATP final of the season by knocking off unseeded Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.

Monfils is hoping to claim his third ATP title of his career.

Zahlavova Strycova reaches 1st WTA final in Prague

PRAGUE — Eighth-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova reached her first WTA final by routing Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 6-2, 6-0 Saturday in the Prague Open semifinals.

The 24-year-old Czech needed just 53 minutes to dismiss Schnyder, a former top 10 player. Zahlavova Strycova said she “played almost without errors.”

“She plays a bit slow but clever tennis, so I had to be patient and it paid off,” the 52nd-ranked Zahlavova Strycova said.

In Sunday’s final, she will face seventh-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary, who beat Lucie Hradecka 6-2, 6-4.

The 49th-ranked Szavay will be aiming for her fifth career title.

Radek Stepanek, Nicole Vaidisova marry in Prague

PRAGUE — Czech tennis players Radek Stepanek and Nicole Vaidisova have tied the knot in Prague.

They married Saturday in St. Vitus Cathedral, the country’s biggest and most famous church.

Czech public radio reported that guests included ice hockey star Jaromir Jagr and tennis player Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who reached her first WTA final at the Prague Open on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Stepanek — ranked No. 29 — missed most of the season with health problems. Vaidisova, who is 21 and a former top 10 player, retired this year after struggling with form.

Pennetta to play Kanepi in Palermo final

PALERMO, Italy — Top-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy cruised to a straight-sets win over Julia Georges of Germany on Saturday as she tries to defend her Palermo Open title.

Pennetta, ranked 12th in the world, won 6-0, 6-4 and advanced to play fifth-seeded Kaia Kanepi in Sunday’s final. Kanepi ended the crowd’s hopes of an all-Italian final when she beat wild card Romina Oprandi 6-3, 6-2.

Kanepi, from Estonia, has played well in recent weeks. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before making it to the final in Palermo.