Maria reached the quarter-finals in Rome this afternoon as she defeated Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4 7-6 in 1 hour and 54 minutes. 

Maria got an early break to lead 2-1 in the 1st set and looked to be heading for a straightforward set until Wozniacki was able to break back and took a 4-3 lead, from there on the set was all Maria as the took the next 3 games to take the set 6-4.

Maria Sharapova will assume the No. 1 ranking in tennis because of Justine Henin's retirement.

The 25-year-old Henin, who retired Wednesday, asked to be removed from the rankings, the WTA Tour said Thursday. Sharapova will automatically become No. 1 when the next rankings are released Monday.

It will mark the fourth time the Russian has held the top ranking. She has been No. 1 for a total of 14 weeks in her career, the last in 2007.

Maria Sharapova reached a compromise with the WTA Tour and completed a promotional photo shoot before the Italian Open began Monday.

The second-ranked Russian was opposed to the shoot because she does not like distractions before tournaments, and claimed the WTA threatened to fine her more than $300,000 if she refused.

Sunday's photo shoot to build publicity for the tour championships was reduced to 90 minutes from several hours, Sharapova said.

Maria Sharapova is criticizing the WTA Tour for threatening to fine her more than $300,000 if she doesn't take part in a promotional photo session ahead of the Italian Open in Rome on May 12.

"They want me to do this shoot on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday of the Internazionali BNL Italia tourney after flying 12 hours from L.A.," the Australian Open champion said in a statement posted on her Web site on Friday.

"I have set my own personal rules when it comes to doing shoots and I never do shoots before tournaments because they are mentally draining and I want to just focus on my tennis."

Maria Sharapova's preparations for the second grand slam of the season have been further derailed as the Russian star was forced to withdraw from next week's German Open through injury.

Sharapova began 2008 in stunning form as she took the Australian Open title, but injuries have taken their toll in recent weeks and she has not played since losing to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of Family Circle Cup on April 19.