Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams Pull Out of Pre-Australian Open Events
Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams Pull Out of Pre-Australian Open Events 
© “DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”
The new season hasn’t even begun yet, but two major stars of the WTA Tour have already withdrawn from events taking place in the first week of the year.
Following the pullout of Venus Williams from the ASB Classic in Auckland, Maria Sharapova has cited an ongoing ankle injury for her decision not to compete at the Brisbane International.
“I was really looking forward to starting my 2012 season at the Brisbane International, which has a fantastic reputation as a great and welcoming event,” Sharapova said in a press release from the tournament. “Unfortunately my ankle is not 100 percent and I won’t be able to make it this year. I do expect to be ready for the year’s first Grand Slam and I am really looking forward to competing on court.”
There appears to be no doubt that the Russian will compete at the Australian Open, which begins in mid-January. Williams is also hopeful of playing in the year’s first major, although an element of doubt does still remain. She has not played in an official match since her first round victory at the US Open, after which she defaulted to Sabine Lisicki citing a diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome.
“This last six months have been a learning curve for me, in terms of learning about Sjogren’s and how it makes me feel, and what I can do,” Williams told the Palm Beach Post. “I’m coming along well. (Sjogren’s) is definitely a big concern. But at the end of the day, it’s important to know what I’m dealing with. My main goal is to be healthy for the Olympics.”
© “DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”
Topics: Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams
Share this article:
Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:
10sBalls Top Stories
- No Key Biscayne, No Problem; New Site, Same Great Miami Open Tennis Event
- 10SBALLS SHARES FAVORITE EPA TENNIS PHOTOS Of 2018
- THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR ANY TENNIS PLAYER & FAN
- ATP MEN’S TENNIS • WILL IT MOVE FROM LONDON TO MANCHESTER OR TOKYO OR SINGAPORE? OR TURIN?
- ALIX RAMSAY WRITES TO “TENNIS SANTA CLAUS” WITH HER WISHES • ANDY MURRAY!
- CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE JACK KRAMER CLUB – DECEMBER 15 TO 22 2018 • UTR • ORACLE • AND AN AWESOME NEW TENNIS EVENT
- 10sBalls.com Shares Alix Ramsay’s Rambling On About Tennis and The Holidays
- ROGER FEDERER JOINED BY RAFA NADAL FOR THE 2019 LAVER CUP FESTIVITIES IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- TENNIS PLAYERS’ UNION – IS IT NEEDED? BY MARK WINTERS
- Tennis News: Wilson’s Revolution Is Here – THE CLASH
- ROTTERDAM TENNIS TOURNEY DIRECTOR RICHARD KRAJICEK ANNOUNCES DAVID GOFFIN TO PLAY IN 2019 ABN AMRO
- JELENA VEMIC’S PHOTO GALLERY
- TENNIS NEWS FROM LONDON • 10SBALLS REPORTS ON THE LAWN TENNIS WRITERS HOLIDAY LUNCHEON AT WIMBLEDON’S DEBENTURE CLUB
- 10sBalls.com Shares a Great Gift For A Tennis Player – The Functional Tennis Match Journal
- BNP PARIBAS TENNIS OPEN NAMED 2018 WTA PREMIER MANDATORY TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR
In Case You Missed It
EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA
Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE
Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER
According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife
Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos