Johansson responds to SOS

Without a standby player at the Qi Zhong stadium, home to this year's season finale, following Mariano Puerta and Fernando Gonzalez's inclusion as late replacement for Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi, the ATP was forced to call Johansson - the 14th-ranked player this season - at his home in Monte Carlo.

Earlier in the day, Chinese tournament organisers expressed their concern about a repeat performance in the 2006 and 2007 championships to be staged at the stadium in Shanghai.

"We are talking to the ATP about the hectic schedule," deputy organising committee director Qin Weichang said on Tuesday. "We certainly hope they analyse the accidental incidents...in order to maintain the branded product."

Another deputy organising committee director, Wang Liqun, focused his anger at Andre Agassi's sudden pull-out following his 6-4 6-2 defeat to Russian Nikolay Davydenko, citing an ankle injury he sustained on a racquetball court in Las Vegas last month.

"I don't appreciate what Andre Agassi is doing," Wang said. "In 2000, when Agassi came [for the tour event], he took an early exit in the first round. Two years later in the Masters Cup, after two defeats, he cited a hip injury and took off. This year it happened again."

Earlier on Monday, French Open champion Nadal was sidelined before his match with Argentine Gaston Gaudio. Andy Roddick, Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt all withdrew before the start of the tournament.

Wang's scorn, however, was reserved for Agassi, although he stopped short of accusing the 1990 ATP Tour World Championship winner of faking injury.

"I don't want to make any personal comment on Andre Agassi's decision," he said. "However, I am certainly not appreciative of what he did - particularly because he made the sudden announcement without notifying anyone."