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Former world number one Maria Sharapova was forced her to retire from the Shenzhen Open quarter-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka after a thigh injury.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova’s Australian Open preparations suffered a blow after a thigh injury forced her to retire from the Shenzhen Open quarter-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka on Friday. Sharapova struggled to move on court and conceded the opening set 6-1, with coach Thomas Hogstedt urging the Russian to take her game to the next level or call for a medical timeout.
“If you feel more like you did on the first point, then you just stop. Or you take a medical now,” he said. “But the shots are there… you have to get it up to another gear.” After receiving treatment off-court between sets, Sharapova sprinted out of the blocks to record a service hold and then pushed Sabalenka in the next game, creating three break point opportunities.
Sabalenka, however, turned things around to move 4-2 ahead before her Russian opponent found herself unable to continue and retired from the match. Sharapova, who won the Australian Open in 2008, tasted Tianjin Open success in 2017 after a 15-month doping suspension but has endured a difficult run at the Grand Slams.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova was forced her to retire from the Shenzhen Open quarter-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka after a thigh injury.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova’s Australian Open preparations suffered a blow after a thigh injury forced her to retire from the Shenzhen Open quarter-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka on Friday. Sharapova struggled to move on court and conceded the opening set 6-1, with coach Thomas Hogstedt urging the Russian to take her game to the next level or call for a medical timeout.
“If you feel more like you did on the first point, then you just stop. Or you take a medical now,” he said. “But the shots are there… you have to get it up to another gear.” After receiving treatment off-court between sets, Sharapova sprinted out of the blocks to record a service hold and then pushed Sabalenka in the next game, creating three break point opportunities.
Sabalenka, however, turned things around to move 4-2 ahead before her Russian opponent found herself unable to continue and retired from the match. Sharapova, who won the Australian Open in 2008, tasted Tianjin Open success in 2017 after a 15-month doping suspension but has endured a difficult run at the Grand Slams.
