Tag: Sharapova

Maria Sharapova has expressed her disappointment at not being able to play in the season-ending WTA Championships.

The 26-year-old had already qualified for the eight-woman event in Istanbul but has been forced to withdraw as she has yet to regain fitness from a right shoulder problem.

The four-time Grand Slam winner was forced to withdraw from the US Open back in August due to the injury and she has not played competitively since.

Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na had already booked their spot in Turkey, with Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani and Jelena Jankovic now joining the quartet.

There is still one place up for grabs and it seems likely that German ace Angelique Kerber will fill it, with a disappointed Sharapova vowing to return to the Turksh capital in the coming years.

“I am very disappointed that I will not be able to play in the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships this year,” she said.

“The fans in Istanbul have welcomed us each year with such intense passion and warmth, I will sincerely miss the energy and excitement they brought to the year-end tournament.

“I want to thank Istanbul for being a tremendous host and hope to play in Turkey sometime in the future.”

via Sharapova pulls out of Istanbul finale | Tennis – EatSleepSport.

Maria Sharapova of Russia has advanced into the semifinals of the WTA Championships in Istanbul by defeating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. The game lasted for 3 hours 13 minutes.

Now Sharapova will face Australian Samantha Stosur.

The tournament’s prize fund is $4.9 million.

Voice of Russia, RIA

Reports Maria Sharapova is to wed Slovenian basketball star and fiance Sasha Vujacic in Istanbul this fall are “false rumors,” the Russian tennis star said Sunday.

A British newspaper reported last month that the sporting couple, who got engaged in 2010, would tie the knot in the Turkish city where Vujacic is based in November.

“Those are false rumors, always have been,” Sharapova said Sunday after losing her Olympic gold medal match to Serena Williams at Wimbledon.

When pressed whether the wedding is to take place in Istanbul, Sharapova replied: “Definitely not.”

via Sharapova: Reports on Istanbul Wedding ‘False Rumors’ | Sports | RIA Novosti.

Maria Sharapova and her fiance Sasha Vujacic attend the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Lady Steel and Ceramic Pavee watch launch on November 1, 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Source: Burak Kara/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe) more pics »

Maria Sharapova is engaged to (Burak Kara/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe)

Talk about a power couple: Maria Sharapova is engaged to Serbian basketball star and former Lakers player Sasha Vujacic. The tennis star had a strong debut at the London Olympics Sunday, and you can bet her man was cheering her on from afar while she dominated at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon.

Despite the pouring rain, and her fiance being unable attend due to his basketball schedule, Sharapova got an impressive win over Shahar Peer of Israel. “You hear a little bit of it, but it’s not a big distraction,” Sharapova saidof the inclement weather. “When you see the schedule and you see your name on Centre Court, you know that your match is going to get done. Knowing what the weather forecast was going to be like today, I was pretty happy.”

Sharapova and Vujacic first started dating in November 2009 and confirmed their engagement in late 2011. They are expected to tie the knot in November in Istanbul.

The tennis star and Olympic hopeful said in a past interview about what it’s like to date a fellow athlete: “It’s a different sport because it’s a team sport,” Sharapova said. “But at the end of the day, you know, we’re still athletes. We still have to put that amount of work in. There is that level of understanding of what it takes. You know, it’s interesting ’cause his games are always in the evenings. Who knows? Like that preparation of having a warmup in the morning, coming back for lunch, then taking a nap, I think anyone else would be, You’re going to take a nap in the afternoon? It’s really nice in the beginning. It’s like, Oh, that’s the way things work. I don’t even need to explain it.”

via Maria Sharapova Dating Fiance Sasha Vujacic (Pictures) – Maria Sharapova – Zimbio.

The former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova has attended the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Lady Steel and Ceramic Pavee watch launch in Istanbul on Tuesday 1st November.

The Russian beauty Maria Sharapova and her longtime boy friend and fiance Sasha Vujacic have attended the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Lady Steel and Ceramic Pavee watch launch on 1st November 2011 in Istanbul in Turkey. Sharapova, who has withdrawn from the 2011 WTA Championship with ankle injury, after losing second round robin match last month. Sharapova said she had not recover from ankle injury, where she sustained the pain in the first round robin match against 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur.

The 24-year-old Sharapova is very happy to attend the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Lady Steel and she also shared her excitement with General Manager of Tag Heuer Middle East Eric Vergnes and General Manager of LPI Turkey Cent Ugurdag, during the Ceramic Pavee watch launch on Tuesday. Sharapova has been enjoying her off court season along with her fiance Sasha Vujacic in Istanbul, where the pair is going to marry soon.

The three-time major title holder Sharapova has slide down to No. 4 in the WTA Ranking, after losing two round robin matches in the WTA Championship in Istanbul last month. The 2011 Wimbledon winner Petro Kvitova has climbed to No. 2nd place and Victoria Azarenka to No. 3 in the WTA Rankings. Sharapova will play her next tournament at Brisbane International championship in Australia in January, before heading into the Australian Open.

via Maria Sharapova at Ceramic Pavee watch launch | Live Tennis Guide.