Melbourne: Five-time Grand Slam winning Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova said she might not return to Melbourne Park again after her embarrassing first-round exit from the ongoing Australian Open on Tuesday.
With her Australian Open exit, Sharapova has now lost her third consecutive first-round match at a major. She was leading the second set 4-1 but lost the match 6-3, 6-4 to 19th seed Donna Vekic on Rod Laver Arena.
The 32-year-old played only eight tournaments in 2019 after serving a 15-month doping ban. She has also been struggling with a shoulder injury. She required a wildcard entry to this tournament.
Sharapova's last hurrah at a Grand Slam tournament was in 2014 at French Open
The 2008 Australian Open champion hasn't gone past the fourth round at Australian Open since she played quarter-finals in 2015. And now she is uncertain about her return to the tournament in 2021.
“I don't know. I don't know,” a dejected Sharapova told reporters after her first-round loss on Tuesday.
“I was fortunate to get myself to be here and thankfully to [Tournament director] Craig [Tiley] and the team allowing me to be part of this event.
“It's tough for me to tell what's going to happen in 12 months' time.”
She has been suffering from a chronic shoulder injury
However, Sharapova refused to use her shoulder injury as an excuse for her straight sets defeat against the emerging Croatian player.
“I think I'm not the only one (who plays with an injury),” she said.
“You know, I can speak about my struggles and the things that I've gone through with my shoulder, but it's not really in my character to. I put myself out there. You know, as tough as it was, I finished the match and it wasn't the way that I wanted," she added.
Sharapova said she wants to play far more tournaments than she did in 2019, but doesn't know what the future hold for her body.
“I would like to (play much more tennis in 2020).
“I don't know. I don't have a crystal ball to tell you if I can or if I will, but I would love to.”
She doesn't even know when she will play her next tournament, and given her current ranking, her chances of making direct entry to top-notch tournaments will be difficult.
