The third consecutive loss in the first round of a Grand Slam left a very bitter trail in Maria Sharapova, who did not even dare to confirm his presence next year at Melbourne Park. "I find it difficult to say what will happen in the next 12 months," the Russian tennis player revealed after her tough loss to Donna Vekic (6-3, 6-4) at the Rod Laver Arena.

In the subsequent press conference, the journalists asked the former number one about the possibility that it was their last game in a Grand Slam. "I don't know, I don't know," the champion settled in Melbourne in 2008 after her impotence exercise against the Croatian player. One more in its irremediable decline.

Sharapova, who had not lost in the first round of Australia since 2010, will fall in the coming weeks below 350 in the WTA ranking. So one of your options from now on could be to register for smaller tournaments. However, even that seems clear.

"I will not force"

"Now I have to know my body and know how many matches I can play a year. I will not force if that causes me physical problems," he revealed about his recurring shoulder discomfort, exacerbated since August 2018. In the last calendar year, he has only He was able to add three victories in 11 games.

In fact, his participation in the first 'major' of 2020 could only be certified after the invitation extended by Craig Tiley, director of the Australian Open. However, his inexplicable errors in the second set paved the way for Vekic, who was able to recover a 1-4 handicap to close his second round pass.

"I suffered a lot of injuries last year, but I work daily with my technical team to improve, because I still love this sport," admitted the winner of five majors, 32, who last year broke up with Thomas Hogstedt to get in hands of Riccardo Piatti. However, the future plans of the Italian coach seem to pass more through Jannik Sinner, the new transalpine talent than Sharapova.

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