傷勢若無改善 莎娃仍可能退賽 - 俄網 Tennis

莎娃原在明天與韓娃比賽，假使贏了就可成為新的球后。
但因胸肌傷勢的不適，莎娃表示，假使狀況沒有改善，不排除退賽。
為更重要的美網準備，也無須為了當新球后而拿健康去冒險。


LOS ANGELES, California, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova took a step
closer to becoming the first Russian to rise to the top of the WTA rankings
with a 4-6 6-4 7-5 third-round victory over compatriot Anna Chakvetadze
Angeles Open on Thursday.

However, Sharapova's quest to topple Lindsay Davenport as world number one
this week almost ended as she struggled with a right pectoral muscle injury
throughout the two hour 18 minute contest.

Sharapova had an MRI scan on the injury on Wednesday but it did not reveal
anything.

The top seed said she could still pull out from the tournament if the problem
does not improve before her quarter-final against Slovakia's Daniela
Hantuchova on Friday.

"If I go out on the practice court and I can't serve without pain, there's
no reason for me to play because it's more important for me to be ready for
the U.S. Open," said the 18-year-old Sharapova, who played with a tape on her
chest.

"I'm going to see if I can take care of it tonight. Playing with pain like
today's match for a top athlete isn't right and it's more important to be
ready for the big ones."

Although victory over Hantuchova, who overcame Ukraine's Katerina Bondarenko
6-4 6-4, will take Sharapova to the top of the rankings the Russian said she
would not risk her health to achieve the feat.

"There's no pressure," said Sharapova.

"I always feel terrible pulling out but there's no reason to think about
number one or anything else."

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