Defending champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to her slower than expected recovery following a shoulder injury.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.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley says he is confident Maria Sharapova will attempt to defend her title.

Tiley said his most recent information from Sharapova's camp increased his belief she would be at Melbourne Park, despite having played just one match since July because of shoulder surgery.

Defending Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova is withdrawing from next month's JB Classic exhibition in Hong Kong after revealing on her website Monday night that she had arthroscopic surgery on her right shoulder two months ago.
The right-handed Sharapova, 21, missed the U.S. Open and hasn't played since the first week of August when she pulled out in the second round of an event in Montreal.

She disclosed that after leaving the women's tour to rehab her shoulder this fall the same pain returned when she resumed hitting several weeks later. She then had arthroscopic surgery in New York on Oct. 15.

"Unfortunately after my 10 weeks of shoulder rehab, I started hitting and serving again and I still felt the same exact pain that I have had in my shoulder since March," the American-trained Russian said.

Organisers announced today a star-studded line up to take part in the J B • GROUP Classic 2009, a World Team Challenge.

The Hong Kong Tennis Patrons’ Association (HKTPA) recently created a new concept for their January Event. The J B • GROUP Classic will feature teams from four regions of the globe, Team Europe, Team Russia, Team Americas and Team Asia Pacific. There are 3 players to each team and full details of each team and the format were announced today.

Team Europe
Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) – World No. 1
Agnes Szavay (Hungary) – China Open Champion 2007
Michelle Larcher De Brito (Portugal) – Portuguese No. 1

Team Russia
Maria Sharapova (Russia) – Australian Open Champion 2008
Vera Zvonareva (Russia) – World No. 7
Alexandra Panova (Russia) – Star of the Future

Maria Sharapova expects to be back on the tennis tour at the start of 2009 and defend her Australian Open title after being sidelined since July with an injured right shoulder.

Sharapova's agent, Max Eisenbud, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she is "on track" to return to action at the Jan. 7-10 exhibition in Hong Kong that she usually enters.

The three-time Grand Slam title winner then plans to head to the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 19 in Melbourne.

"She's doing good," Eisenbud said in a telephone interview. "Everything's on track."