Sharapova's entire season is at risk.
Mal Taam/MALTphoto Maria Sharapova pulled out of the Beijing
Olympics on Thursday after getting an MRI in Montreal which revealed that
she has two small tears in her right shoulder.
Sharapova is said to be relieved that she has finally discovered what
was causing her shoulder to ache since re-injuring at Indian Wells in
March, but is also extremely disappointed that she’s be unable to
compete in the Olympics, which has long been one of her dreams.
Sharapova is headed to New York to visit with the renowned sports physician
Dr. David Alchek, who will give her a second opinion as to how much time
she should take off. In her 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 win over Poland's Marta Domachowska
on Wednesday night, Sharapova was unable to get her arm back far enough
to hit a kick serve and when she came off court, told her coach, Michael
Joyce, that the shoulder felt different.
The doctor that Sharapova visited with in Montreal said she needed to
take off a substantial amount of time to allow the injury to heal, which
puts the 2006 US Open champ’s chances on competing in America’s
Grand Slam, which begins on Aug. 25, in serious doubt. Sharapova may decide
to let the injury heal entirely before picking up a racket again, as she’s
been frustrated at playing than less than 100 percent, which might also
put her entire fall season at risk.
