Davenport pulls out and hints at retirement

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - Former champion Lindsay Davenport hinted she could have played her last match at Wimbledon after she pulled out on Thursday with a right knee injury.

The American, winner here in 1999, had been due to face Argentina's Gisela Dulko in the second round but after struggling with her knee in her opening match, she did not want to risk any further injury.

"After my match a couple days ago, I went to the hospital and did an MRI...it just showed I had some inflammation and some fluid behind the kneecap," said Davenport, who had her knee heavily strapped on court on Tuesday.

"It was just really inflamed and painful.

"Wanted to see how I pulled up today in warm-up. After warming up, I felt like I was about 25, maybe 30 percent. In a first, second round match, it's just not good enough.

"It's not going to get better the more I play on it.

"I feel like I want to be a hundred percent and have a chance to win, not just hope to get by one more round or one more set."

Asked if she would be back at Wimbledon in 2009, the 32-year-old said: "I guess not... I'm very shortsighted right now in my future, my goals.