Sharapova withdraws from US Open with leg injury
AFP
AFP, NEW YORK: Russian third seed Maria Sharapova withdrew from the US Open on Sunday with a right leg injury, easing the path to a calendar-year Grand Slam for top-ranked Serena Williams.
US Open tournament director David Brewer announced Sharapovas exit, which allowed qualifying lucky loser Daria Kasatkina of Russia into the draw in Sharapovas place.
Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in this years US Open, Sharapova said in a Twitter posting. I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time.
To all my amazing fans, I will be back in the Asian swing in a few weeks and look forward to finishing the year healthy and strong.
Sharapova had been the highest-seeded rival in Williams half of the US Open draw, a status that now belongs to seventh-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic, a possible semi-final foe for the 33-year-old American.
Williams is trying to complete the first Grand Slam calendar-year title sweep since Steffi Graf in 1988 and match Grafs Open Era-record of 22 Slam singles crowns.
Sharapova had not played a match since losing to Williams in a Wimbledon semi-final last month because of the injury, which she said had been a day-to-day thing since it happened.
Williams is 18-2 all-time against Sharapova and has won their past 17 meetings in a row.
Prior to pulling out of the tournament for the second time in three years, Sharapova described the injury as just a muscle strain.
Sharapova did make the publicity rounds in the days before the US Open, including a photo shoot with a New York taxi and many of her rivals that noted her position at the front, well away from Williams and ex-boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov.
