Maria Sharapova (Photo : REUTERS)
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has announced that she would not participate in the on-going U.S. Open due to a leg injury.
The Russian tennis superstar posted a status update on Facebook, stating that she would miss this year's U.S. Open while she recuperates from a leg injury.
"Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in this years US Open. I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time," the 28-year-old athlete said in the post.
Sharapova's absence in the U.S. Open this week is the second time she missed the Flushing Meadows tournament in the last three years. The last time she won a U.S. Open championship was back in 2006.
Sharapova has not played in any tennis tournaments since losing in the semifinal round against eventual champion Serena Williams at the Wimbledon in July, Fox News reported.
In addition, the No. 3 seed did not participate either in two other tune-up tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati just before the U.S. Open.
However, the tennis star's schedule is as busy as ever, gracing several events such as Nike's Street Tennis event, a kick-off event of her Sugarpova candyline at Bloomingdale's, and American Express' "Rally on the River", PageSix reported.
Another contract with AmEx also paved the way for the "You vs. Sharapova" campaign, wherein guests and visitors at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center can match up against a 'virtual' version of the Russian athlete.
In spite the leg injury, Sharapova ensured that she would end the year 'healthy and strong', as mentioned on her Facebook post.
