Injury hits Sharapova's preparations

Maria Sharapova, 7/1 with bet365 to win the Australian Open, has suffered an injury setback after being forced to withdraw from the Brisbane International due to a collarbone problem.

Sharapova, the 2008 champion in Melbourne and the beaten finalist 12 months ago, has been bothered by a problem with her right collarbone for some weeks and was keen not to risk her chances of further glory Down Under. A disappointed Sharapova said: "I still have quite a bit of time to prepare for Australia. "I'm on the right track, been training really well, so I just don't want to jeopardize what I've gained in the off-season so far." Sharapova was thrashed 6-3 6-0 by Victoria Azarenka in last year's Melbourne final, while she also lost in the 2007 final, going down 6-1 6-2 to Serena Williams. The Russian defeated Ana Ivanovic 7-5 6-3 to win her only Australian Open title to date in 2008.

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