withdrawal does raise some questions since she didn’t seem injured when she lost to Serena Williams at the Sony Ericsson Open.  Hamstring and shoulder problems are probably partly to blame for Sharapova needing a break, but one can’t help but wonder if she really just decided that she needed time off to work on her serve problems.  If that’s the case, then it was probably a wise move for her because continuing to serve so badly in matches could cause a serious crisis of confidence if it hasn’t already.  On the other hand, Sharapova’s withdrawal is exactly what the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has been struggling with for the past couple years.  Maria’s absence from the Family Circle Cup and Fed Cup will have a direct financial impact on those events.  Her unexpected withdrawal also forces the Tour to try to find a replacement “star” player at this late date for the Family Circle Cup.  The reality is that tennis is an individual sport and in the end, players will always do what’s in their own best interest regardless of how much they care about the success of the Tour as a whole.  As the Tours revamp their calendars and seasons for 2009 and beyond, they must accept this scenario and plan accordingly.

Posted by TC at 10:28 AM || Comments (0)