By The Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England - Wimbledon was hit with more withdrawals Friday, with Amelie Mauresmo, Marat Safin, Alex Corretja and Magnus Norman pulling out three days before the tournament begins.

Corretja withdrew for the fifth straight year, this time because of the birth of his first child.

Mauresmo, seeded sixth, has a rib injury. The 18th-seeded Safin cited a hand problem. Norman pulled out with an unspecified injury.

The two-week tournament begins Monday. With so many players out, officials have made frequent changes to Tuesday's draw.

Spain's Albert Costa, seeded 24th, withdrew Thursday. Other withdrawals include former champions Goran Ivanisevic and Richard Krajicek, Marcelo Rios, Monica Seles, Anna Kournikova, former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, 1998 French Open winner Carlos Moya and Tommy Haas.

Ivanisevic, Moya, Costa, Corretja, Rios and Haas all withdrew last year, too.

Mauresmo reached the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, and the Frenchwoman was to have played a qualifier in the first round.

Safin reached the second round last year and the quarterfinals in 2001. The Russian was to have faced qualifier Michal Mertinak of Slovakia in the first round.

Corretja, a two-time French Open runner-up who prefers clay courts, hasn't played at Wimbledon since 1998. He returned to Spain to be with his wife, who gave birth to a girl.

Mauresmo was replaced in the women's draw by Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. Kuznetsova now plays American Bea Bielik. Seda Noorlander, a lucky loser, moved into Kuznetsova's original place in the draw.

Safin's place in the draw was initially filled by Corretja and the Spaniard's spot was taken by Czech player Tomas Zib, who will face 10th-seeded Tim Henman of Britain.

Corretja's withdrawal means he is replaced by Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, who meets Mertinak. Stefano Galvani, an Italian who took part in qualifying rounds, takes Stepanek's original place.

Mauresmo lost to Serena Williams 6-1, 6-2 in this month's French Open quarterfinals. Mauresmo tore a rib muscle this week during the Ordina Open in the Netherlands, the French sports newspaper L'Equipe said. Mauresmo was beaten in the first round by Barbara Rittner.

Safin has had ankle and wrist injuries this season and missed the French Open with a wrist injury.