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SPORTS Wednesday 22 January 2020

Sharapova can't say what's next after Australian Open loss

By HOWARD FENDRICH Dellien.
AP Tennis Writer The man Nadal beat in
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) last year's U.S. Open final,
— Her Grand Slam losing No. 4 Daniil Medvedev,
streak up to four matches, eliminated 2019 Australian
Maria Sharapova surely Open quarterfinalist Fran-
was aware questions about ces Tiafoe of the U.S. in four
her future would be com- sets. Also advancing: three-
ing. time major champion Stan
She wasn't able to provide Wawrinka, two-time French
answers. Open runner-up Dominic
Might this have been her Thiem, No. 12 Fabio Fogni-
last trip to the Australian ni, No. 16 Karen Khachanov
Open, a tournament she and No. 23 Nick Kyrgios,
won in 2008 as part of a ca- an Australian who spurred
reer Grand Slam? tennis players to contrib-
"I don't know," Sharapova ute funds for wildfire relief
said, her head shaking and efforts — and inspired TV
eyes looking down. "I don't analyst John McEnroe to Russia's Maria Sharapova makes a forehand return to Croatia's Donna Vekic during their first round
know. ... It's tough for me to pony up $1,000 per set Kyr- singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan.
tell what's going to happen gios wins the rest of the way 21, 2020.
in 12 months' time." in the tournament. Associated Press
Might she enter low-level This is the only time in
tournaments to try to raise a Sharapova's long career niacki that was her most know, her work ethic is pret- "As far as the work that I
WTA ranking that once was that the 32-year-old Russian recent win against a top- ty amazing. I saw her train- did, yeah, I did all the right
No. 1, all those years ago, has lost in the first round at 20 opponent, Sharapova ing in the offseason and things. I put in all the right
already was only 145th en- three consecutive major went 5-6 the rest of 2019. she's really working hard," work. There is no guaran-
tering play at Melbourne tournaments. "It's tough to say I'm on the said Vekic, who practiced tee that even when you
Park and now will tumble Indeed, there only was one right track right now, 45 min- with Sharapova before the do all of those things, that
outside of the top 350 fol- other instance of Sharapo- utes after the match," she start of the season. "So I you're guaranteed victory
lowing a 6-3, 6-4 loss to va dropping opening said Tuesday. "But, I mean, think her results will come." in a first round or in the third
Donna Vekic on Tuesday? matches at Slams twice in there is no way to get out of Maybe they will. round or in the final. That's
"I just don't know," Sharapo- a row: All the way back in it except to keep believing Maybe not. the name of this game,"
va said. "I haven't thought 2003, when she was a teen in yourself, because if you No one can know, of she said. "That's why it's so
of my schedule moving for- and made immediate exits do do all the right things course. That includes special to be a champion,
ward from here yet." at the very first two major and you don't believe in Sharapova herself. even for one time."q
After a rainy Day 1 filled appearances of her ca- yourself, then that's prob-
up Tuesday's schedule so reer. ably a bad formula."
much that at least eight Hampered by right shoul- Against the 19th-seeded
matches needed to be der problems that have Vekic, who's never been
postponed until Wednes- been an off-and-on issue past the second round
day, the sun was out and for more than a decade, at the Australian Open,
there was plenty of action Sharapova is no longer Sharapova appeared to
around the grounds at the the player she once was. be righting herself at the
first Grand Slam tourna- One difficulty is simply that outset of the second set,
ment of the decade. Join- shoulder itself; another is grabbing a 4-1 lead, be-
ing Sharapova on the way the lack of match play be- fore ceding the final five
out were three-time major cause of her health. And games.
semifinalist Johanna Konta, since serving a 15-month "She's still hitting it as hard
2019 French Open semifi- ban after failing a drug as I can remember," Vekic
nalist Amanda Anisimova test at the 2016 Australian said.
and the 20th-seeded man, Open, Sharapova has only Perhaps. But Sharapova
Felix Auger-Aliassime. reached one major quar- was not putting the ball
Seeded winners included terfinal. where she wanted, espe-
two-time major champion She played a total of 15 cially on her forehand side,
Simona Halep and No. 1 matches last season, going which produced 18 mis-
Rafael Nadal, who began 8-7. After a promising run cues alone — more than
his bid to equal Roger Fe- to the fourth round in Mel- Vekic's full unforced error
derer's record of 20 Grand bourne a year ago, includ- total of 17.
Slam singles titles with a 6-2, ing a victory over reigning "She had some amazing
6-3, 6-0 victory over Hugo champion Caroline Woz- results in her career. You