The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Sharapova to ignore injured right shoulder

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Monday, Jun 11, 2007
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Sharapova to ignore injured right shoulder

BIRMINGHAM: Maria Sharapova is prepared to ignore her injured right shoulder to try to regain the Wimbledon title.

The second-ranked Russian required cortisone injections before her six clay-court matches at the French Open, but is determined to compete on her favoured grass surface.

``I can't even begin to say how happy I am when this time of the year, the grass season, comes around,'' Sharapova said. ``It has a special place in my career and my heart.'' Tatiana Golovin and defending champion Vera Zvonareva have both withdrawn, but 22-year-old French Open semifinalist Jelena Jankovic is in the form of her life with a 44-11 record this year.

The fifth-ranked Serb won two titles recently — Rome and Charleston — and is drawn to meet Sharapova in the final — if her shoulder problems that sidelined her for seven weeks don't return.

``My shoulder is still not where I want it to be — it's still not perfect,'' Sharapova said. "At times I feel it, and it's there. But as long as the doctors give me the OK, as long as I can play through the aches and pains, I'm willing to do it. I have to keep it under control. I might have to rest it more on some days, but I think I have done a good job of monitoring it.''

Sharapova begins against the 97th-ranked Varvara Lepchenko from Uzbekistan, with Daniela Hantuchova a possible semifinal opponent. — AP

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