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Injured Sharapova to miss Rome and Madrid events

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-29 16:17

ROME - Maria Sharapova has pulled out of next month's Italian and Madrid Open tournaments as she has failed to fully recover from a shoulder injury, the WTA Tour said in a statement on Tuesday.

Maria Sharapova of Russia puts her jacket on after losing her doubles match, partnered with compatriot Elena Vesnina, to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus at the Indian Wells WTA tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 12, 2009. [Agencies]

The Russian former world number one has not played a singles match since last August. She made a brief return to competition in the doubles at Indian Wells last month.

The injury prevented her from defending her Australian Open crown in January.

The Italian Open will be held from Monday while the Madrid tournament takes place a week later.