Sharapova 'Excited' to Return to Tennis

Shoulder injury dashes Russian's Olympic ambitions

(NEWSER) - The Olympics lost a bit of its star power today when Maria Sharapova announced that she won't be able to compete because of a shoulder injury, AFP reports. The 21-year-old Russian, ranked third in the world, also will miss the US Open in late August, the AP reports. “The doctors found two small tears in the tendons of my shoulder,” said a despondent Sharapova. 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»

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»

Tennis star calls blood clot, hematoma 'extremely hard, disappointing'

(NEWSER) - Serena Williams' tennis career is on hold indefinitely following a series of health scares she calls "extremely hard ... and disappointing." News surfaced yesterday that Williams suffered a pulmonary embolism in February and then, more recently, a hematoma; she is now recuperating at home. But Williams has not played tennis since she won Wimbledon last summer, because shortly after that she stepped on broken glass and cut tendons in her right foot. Now it is not clear when she will be able to return to the game, the Chicago Tribune reports. 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»