(Dec 26, 2005) WTA # 4
Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the 2006 season opening tourney at Gold Coast, Australia, due to a chronic right pectroral (front of the shoulder) muscle strain that plagued her through the 2nd half of the 2005 season. Maria hopes to be healthy in time for the Australian Open, which begins January 16th.
Maria made the announcement after a trip to Japan,
where she had played a series of three exhibitions against # 28 Ai Sugiyama in Osaka (where Ai won on December 21), Nagoya (where Maria won on Dec 22), and Tokyo (where Maria won the single "pro set" 8-2 on Dec 23). Fashion shows were also included in the trip (Maria and Ai are shown while playing doubles in Osaka against Akiko Morigami and Ryoko Fuda).
Maria played the exhibitions cautiously, so as to not further damage her shoulder.
Maria said: "I"m not playing at 100 percent, not hitting the balls 100 percent, [in order to avoid] playing with pain. I just have to let it recover and it's going to take time."