Maria Sharapova pulls out of the Western & Southern Open - Tennis News
World number two, Maria Sharapova, is consistently suffering from stomach ailment and has been forced to miss out the Western & Southern Open, contested in Cincinnati. She has not been in action ever since her 0-6, 1-6 battering in the final of the London Olympics at the hands of the former world number one, Serena Williams.
News of her retirement from the tournament in Cincinnati was aired through her official website. It is a major disappointment for the Russian blonde’s lovers across the globe who wanted to see the silver medallist back on the hard courts before the year’s fourth Grand Slam Championship, the US Open, kicks off in New York. However, it is not going to be possible for them to see the 25-year-old beauty queen in action before the Grand Slam event.
The statement on her official website stated, “Maria has pulled out of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati which begins on Monday due to a stomach virus. This is the second consecutive event Maria has had to withdraw from due to illness as she pulled out of Montreal this week. Maria's next event will be the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open in New York which begins on August 27th.”
Sharapova who earlier withdrew from the Rogers Cup in Montreal due to the same stomach illness was the third seed superstar in the tournament and expected to give tough time to the reigning world number one, Victoria Azarenka, by closing on the gap of points that is just 100 at the moment. She could have topped the world rankings for the second time in the year if she had managed to clinch the title at Montreal but the ailment got in her way and she was sidelined.
Azarenka also withdrew from the Rogers Cup event earlier on Friday during her third round clash. She felt pain in her left knee and asked the umpire to call the match off and announce Tamira Paszek as the winner of the match because the Belarusian superstar wasn’t in a position to continue.
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