Maria Sharapova has committed to play in the Bausch & Lomb Championships for the first time, tournament officials announced Thursday.
The Russian star, who is currently ranked fifth in the world, will make her debut at Amelia Island Plantation on April 7-13 as the tournament's No. 1 seed.
"Maria is an absolute global superstar," tournament director John Arrix said. "It is really exciting for us to bring her to an event that is quaint and small but has so much history."
Sharapova's decision to withdraw from the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week, citing a shoulder injury, opened a rare window for the three-time Grand Slam winner to add Amelia Island to her schedule.
The addition of Sharapova gives Bausch & Lomb two current Grand Slam titlists. Sharapova, 20, won the Australian Open in January, and American star Venus Williams, an earlier commitment, won last year's Wimbledon.
April 4th, 2008
Posted by: Marco
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