Maria Sharapova has been all over the tennis bulletin boards in the last few days, what with her abrupt dismissal of coach Jimmy Connors - whose tenure lasted all of one match - followed by an abortive plan to change her name to Sugarpova as a way of promoting her sweet brand.
No go: Maria Sharapova is still struggling with a shoulder injury Photo: REUTERS
But Sharapova's time in the spotlight may be over for a while, as she
announced last night that she would not be participating in next week's US
Open - a tournament she won in 2006 - because of a shoulder injury.
This is one story she cannot sugarcoat.
Sharapova did practice yesterday on Arthur Ashe with her father, Yuri, who was
acting as a locum coach. Clearly, though, the experiment was not a success.
She had pulled out of two recent tournaments in Toronto and Stanford as a
precaution but few had guessed how badly she was struggling.
According to Max Eisenbud, Sharapova's agent, she has been suffering from pain
in her shoulder since before the French Open, and it is understood that she
has had injections to try to resolve the problem. The fact that the pain is
in her serving shoulder - the same joint that underwent reconstructive
surgery in 2008, will only heighten concerns about her prognosis.
The 26-year-old Russian said on Facebook: "I just wanted to let you know that
withdrawing from the US Open has been a really tough decision to make.
"I have done everything I could since Wimbledon to get myself ready but it
just wasn't enough time.
"I have done many tests, received several opinions and it all comes down to
taking the proper amount of time to heal my shoulder injury properly.
"It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favorite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon.
"I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. I will miss being part of the US Open, but can't wait for next year!"
Seeded No 3, Sharapova has been struggling for form as well as fitness and had lost both her most recent matches: the first a shock exit in the second round of Wimbledon against world No 131 Michelle Larcher De Brito, and the second an erratic performance against Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati a week ago.
She was seen as a less likely bet for the title than either of the women ranked above her: Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Even so, her withdrawal will be a major blow for a women's draw that has already lost the last grand slam champion - the now-retired Marion Bartoli. Despite the criticism that her fortissimo grunting often attracts, she is the most popular player on the women's circuit, as well as the best paid.
Agnieszka Radwanska, the stylish Pole who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, will thus move up one place in the seedings to No 3.
"It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favorite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon.
"I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. I will miss being part of the US Open, but can't wait for next year!"
Seeded No 3, Sharapova has been struggling for form as well as fitness and had lost both her most recent matches: the first a shock exit in the second round of Wimbledon against world No 131 Michelle Larcher De Brito, and the second an erratic performance against Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati a week ago.
She was seen as a less likely bet for the title than either of the women ranked above her: Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka.
Even so, her withdrawal will be a major blow for a women's draw that has already lost the last grand slam champion - the now-retired Marion Bartoli. Despite the criticism that her fortissimo grunting often attracts, she is the most popular player on the women's circuit, as well as the best paid.
Agnieszka Radwanska, the stylish Pole who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, will thus move up one place in the seedings to No 3.
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