Maria Sharapova ensures her participation at 2013 Brisbane International – Tennis News
Russian beauty queen, Maria Sharapova, withdrew from the exhibition event in Korea due to a neck injury this week but she has erased the doubts of her participation in the season-opening Brisbane International tournament. The world
number two has re-affirmed that her injury just a minor one and it cannot hamper her from being a part of the WTA tournament to be played on the hard courts of Brisbane.
The 25-year-old Russian was committed to feature a friendly match against the former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, in Seoul but was struck with a strain in her neck muscle during her practice session on Wednesday. The event
organizers in Seoul were extremely disappointed with her withdrawal and had to refund all the pre-sold tickets to the dismayed tennis fanatics. Sharapova apologized to her South Korean fans on Facebook for not giving them the treat to watch her in live action.
With her withdrawal from the Seoul exhibition event, doubts started to cloud her participation in the Brisbane International. However, the tournament director of Brisbane International, Camerson Pearson, has recently announced
that Sharapova’s manager has been in contact with him and has assured him that the reigning French Open champion will be a part of the tournament. He further told that Sharapova was to play her match in Seoul on Friday but she will now travel to Brisbane instead,
two days earlier than planned. The Russian super star intends to engage in practice before taking off the new WTA season and Brisbane will provide an excellent opportunity for her to gear up for the Australian Open Grand Slam tournament.
Former world number one, Serena Williams, has already committed to be a part of the Brisbane International players’ field. The American powerhouse had a tremendous 2012 WTA season and is eyeing to take a belligerent start to the
upcoming circuit as well. However, she also had a minor toes surgery last week and might not be at her 100 per cent while coming to Brisbane. It will be interesting to see how Williams and Sharapova recover their fitness level before the start of the 2013
WTA season at Brisbane.
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