Sharapova Pulls Out of Beijing

Grand Slam champion will join Elena Vesnina for doubles

(NEWSER) - Maria Sharapova has recovered from an acute shoulder injury that sidelined her for six months and is returning to tennis this week, CNN reports. Sharapova will play doubles with Elena Vesnina at the ATP-WTA tournament this week in Indian Wells. "I am excited to be playing competitive tennis again," Sharapova said. "The healing process requires things to move more slowly than I would like, but I am taking things one step at a time." More»

Coach concerned with tiring opening ceremony

(NEWSER) - Russian officials have denied Maria Sharapova’s request to carry her country’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, Reuters reports. “I advised against” Sharpova’s wish to be a flag-bearer, the Russian tennis chief said. “We want her to be fresh, not tired, during her matches." Sharapova has also decided to stay in a hotel, not the Olympic village, during the games. More»

(AP) - The Williams sisters won the US Open women's doubles title this afternoon, less than 2 days after Serena's ugly exit in the singles semifinals. In an incident-free match, Serena and Venus defeated defending champions Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-2, 6-2 for their 10th career Grand Slam doubles title and first at Flushing Meadows since 1999. They are now 10-0 in Grand Slam women's doubles finals. More»

Surprise challenger upsets third seed in second round

(AP) - Former champion Maria Sharapova was ousted today in the second round at Wimbledon by 154th-ranked Alla Kudryavtseva. Kudryavtseva recovered an early break in the second set to beat the 2004 champion 6-2, 6-4; it was Sharapova's earliest exit from a Grand Slam event since her first full season on the circuit in 2003. More»

Williams ordered to pay up after letting loose

(NEWSER) - How much cash will Serena Williams lose for calling the chair umpire a "hater" (among many other things) yesterday? Just $2,000, which sounds puny, and sounds even punier when you consider that's just 0.14% of the $1.4 million Williams earned at the US Open. The AP reports that the US Tennis Association notes that the fine "is consistent with similar offenses at Grand Slam events." More»