LOS ANGELES: Maria Sharapova suddenly found herself battling an injury on Saturday with her US Open title defence little more than two weeks away.
The Russian top seed withdrew from her scheduled semi-final at the 600,000-dollar WTA Tour hardcourt tournament here citing a lower left leg strain.
Sharapova said the pain around her shin prevented her from running and disrupted her service motion.
However, she was hopeful that the injury would resolve itself quickly, as did a similar ailment she experienced in Australia prior to the Australian Open two years ago.
"I think if this is the same thing then in a couple of days I am going to be fine," Sharapova said. "But right now I cannot hit for more than 10 minutes.
"I'm not going to sit here and say it is this or that, because I do not know."
It was another injury blow for Sharapova, who had at last appeared to have shaken off a nagging shoulder injury.
Earlier Saturday, Sharapova had already announced she wouldn't play in the Rogers Cup in Toronto starting on Monday, saying the run to the title at San Diego and to the weekend in Los Angeles had left her in need of some rest prior to the final Grand Slam of the year.
