[Grainiary]

Former No. 1 Maria Sharapova pulled out of next week’s Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Wednesday and is targeting a return on clay at Rome at the beginning of May, Tennisreporters.net has learned. After going to Miami on Tuesday do sponsor visits, media and attend the player party, Sharapova will head to Phoenix, where she spent part of fall recovering from shoulder surgery, to continue her training.

While Sharapova competed at doubles at Indian Wells where she and Elena Vesnina lost a first round match, she finds that getting practice court time at Miami is more difficult and fells that she’d be better off continuing her rehab and training in Phoenix, which is why she chose not to play doubles in Florida. Her shoulder is said to be progressing nicely and she was pleased that at Indian Wells, she was able to hit fairly high service speeds.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova, who has said that she won’t be comfortable returning in singles until she can contest two of three set matches for a minimum of seven days in a row, is also planning on competing at the new tournament in Madrid the week after Rome, and at Roland Garros.

http://www.tennisreporters.net/index.html

[DoterForeva]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[inmeirulez]

I'll believe it when I see it.

I bet she wants to play in Paris. She's a French Open title away from the career slam, hard as it is to believe.

[Grainiary]

I bet she wants to play in Paris. She's a French Open title away from the career slam, hard as it is to believe.

She's also a self-described "cow on ice". I'm sure she wants to play, but I'm pretty sure she's never going to win a title there.

[MaickiP]

She's also a self-described "cow on ice". I'm sure she wants to play, but I'm pretty sure she's never going to win a title there.

It's unlikely, but if Mary Pierce can do it, Sharapova has a shot.

[Grainiary]

It's unlikely, but if Mary Pierce can do it, Sharapova has a shot.

Pierce could move well, though, Charlie. And she spent a fair amount of time on clay. Aside from winning it in 2000, she also got to the finals twice (in 94 and in 05). And she had a number of other clay titles.

Hey, great if she can do it. Many great players got every one but the French. It's so difficult, especially when you didn't grow up on the surface, and don't have the slide down to an art form. It's not impossible, just incredibly difficult.

[RooxiaNof]

I still say Birmingham for Maria

[boleroman]

I've gotta believe that Maria wants to start her singles comeback in Rome because it would be a lot less pressure on her. No one has expected her to win big tournaments on clay in the best of times. I'm sure that she just wants to get some matches under her belt before the grass tournaments, where obviously she excels. I think that's the only reason that she'd start back on clay.

Still, I'm just not sure that she can ever be the same.

[erepsysoulptnw]

I can't believe she'll come back on clay but Nelslus makes a good point. We'll see.

[LookSe]

Actually, I think it's a good idea this clay timing. I agree with Nelslus, less pressure physically or competitively.

I might be naively optimistic but I still believe she'll be back for the USO at full speed. Now she's just humming and puffing and then she'll get in cruise control by the summer just in time.

GO MARIA!!!!!

[Flikemommoilt]

I've gotta believe that Maria wants to start her singles comeback in Rome because it would be a lot less pressure on her. No one has expected her to win big tournaments on clay in the best of times. I'm sure that she just wants to get some matches under her belt before the grass tournaments, where obviously she excels. I think that's the only reason that she'd start back on clay.

Still, I'm just not sure that she can ever be the same.

Great argument, nelslus. In 2005, when Justine was making a comeback after a long injury, her first tournament was Miami. I didn't get it. Why start off on a hardcourt and then play on green clay and then on red clay? She lost in the quarters to Sharapova in Miami, then won Charleson, Warsaw and Berlin, and then clocked Mary Pierce in the Roland Garros final. It left quite a bit of egg on my face. In retrospect, Miami gave her her feet back and let her test her health, Charleston started the transition to real clay, and the rest is history.

If you're gunning for Wimbledon, you HAVE to get matches in and with only 2 weeks of grass before Wimbledon, clay is fairly unavoidable.

[Gometesstem]

I still say Birmingham for Maria

Me too.

[inmeirulez]

I talked to Samantha Stosur about this at Eastbourne--coming back from a long injury on clay--and she said that her main concern was getting back on the court as soon as possible, because even if she was better on grass than clay, having played some on clay certainly wouldn't hurt her grass chances.

That could be Sharapova's thinking too, even if she and Stosur are obviously in different strata.

[encunnibriG]

I am not sure what to think about this, if she'll stick to her word this time or not. If she does come back int he clay season, I kind of thought it would be at Roland Garros, but maybe not.

[MyLeva]

I feel so bad for her.

[verybigf]

I'm surprised at the decision to play clay as well but hey it's better than nothing.

I really hope that all is well with Maria.

Foxy

[boffincash]

I think, for the sport, the sooner she comes back the better. Of course, she needs to play when she is only %100 healthy, but I am looking forward to her return and I wish her all the best.

[peemovvie]

She'll be back when she's 25.

[erepsysoulptnw]

She'll be back when she's 25.