Tennis: Sharapova and Serena will take part in Brisbane

By ALASTAIR HIMMER
Published on 28/12/2012 00:00

MARIA Sharapova and Serena Williams have insisted they will be fit to play at the Brisbane International, which begins this weekend, following injury scares.

French Open champion Sharapova pulled out of an exhibition match against Caroline Wozniacki scheduled for today in Seoul because of a sore collarbone. The Russian, along with Williams one of the biggest draws in women’s tennis, is due to arrive in Australia tomorrow for the 30 December to 6 January event.

Sharapova withdrew from the Australian Open warm-up tournament last year.

Williams, who won a fifth Wimbledon title, Olympic singles gold and a fourth US Open crown in 2012, also pulled out of an exhibition against China’s Li Na in Thailand last week. However, the American has been given the green light to participate in Brisbane following toe surgery.

“It’s great that they’re both going to be fit to play the first tournament of the year,” tournament organiser Cameron Pearson said.

Eight of the world’s top ten women are scheduled to play in the $1.5 million Brisbane event, including No 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Azarenka and Sharapova will both receive first-round byes, as do the top four seeds in the men’s draw, headed by Britain’s Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray.