
Defending champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to her slower than expected recovery following a shoulder injury.
Sharapova advised tournament officials on Sunday that she would not be able to defend her title at Melbourne Park beginning Jan. 19.
Her Australian Open triumph started an 18-match winning streak last season, enabling the Russian to briefly reclaim her No. 1 ranking in May. However, the shoulder injury hampered her progress in the second half of the year, forcing her out of the Beijing Olympics and the U.S. Open and ending her season.















