MARIA SHARAPOVA WITHDRAWS FROM WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN TENNIS IN CINCINNATI

Written by: Staff on 12th August 2017

MARIA SHARAPOVA WITHDRAWS FROM WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN TENNIS IN CINCINNATI

epa05935341 Maria Sharapova of Russia in action against Kristina Mladenovic of France in their semi final match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 29 April 2017. EPA/RONALD WITTEK |

Maria Sharapova of Russia in action against Kristina Mladenovic of France in their semi final match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 29 April 2017. EPA/RONALD WITTEK

Maria Sharapova, the 2011 Western & Southern Open champion, has withdrawn from the 2017 tournament due to an ongoing left arm injury.

Sharapova arrived in Cincinnati Friday and made the decision to withdraw after consulting with the medical staff on Saturday.

Russia’s Maria Sharapova takes part in the Mutua Charity Tie Break on the eve of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament at Caja Magica complex in Madrid, Spain, 04 May 2017. The Mutua Madrid Open will take place from 05 to 14 May 2017. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

“I arrived in Cincinnati yesterday eager to play. However, following the doctor’s advice on-site, as a precaution for the US Open, I am unfortunately withdrawing from the tournament with the left forearm injury I sustained in Stanford,” Sharapova said. “I want to thank the tournament for the wildcard opportunity and really look forward to competing here next year.”

Sharapova was due to play French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round. Ostapenko, the No. 12 seed, will play either a qualifier or lucky loser, which will be drawn following the conclusion of the qualifying tournament on Sunday.

In addition to the final round of qualifying, the men’s main draw will begin on Sunday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, with action starting at 10 a.m. Women’s main draw matches get underway Monday, with the session beginning at 11 a.m.

Western & Southern Open tickets can be purchased on WSOpen.com, TicketMaster.com or by calling (513) 651-0303.

About the Western & Southern Open

The Western & Southern Open takes place August 12-20, 2017 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, 20 miles north of Cincinnati in Mason, OH. The tournament is one of the prestigious ATP Masters 1000 events on the men’s tour and a Premier 5 event for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), making it one of only five events in the world outside of the grand slams with events of that caliber occurring during the same week at the same venue. The tournament is also one of the last stops on the US Open Series before the US Open in New York. Since 1974, the tournament has contributed more than $10 million directly to its beneficiaries: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the Barrett Cancer Center and Tennis for City Youth.

About the US Open Series

Now in its 14th season, the world’s best players on the WTA and ATP World Tour are coming together for the US Open Series. Linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open, the US Open Series serves as a true regular season of hard court tennis.

Featuring a cohesive schedule, the Series centralizes the way tennis is viewed in North America, across multiple television and digital platforms. Fans will see today’s top champions go head-to-head with tomorrow’s emerging stars, as storylines develop throughout the summer season. Each tournament also engages its local community with a variety of outreach initiatives, including grassroots youth tennis clinics and activities.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Cincinnati, Maria Sharapova, Sharapova News, Sharapova tennis, Sports, Tennis News, Western & Southern Open