Stanford, California – Maria Sharapova, based on doctor’s advice, has withdrawn from the Bank of the West Classic due to soreness in her left arm.
“Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from today's match,” said Sharapova. “Toward the end of the Monday night’s match, I felt pain in my left forearm. After yesterday's scan, the doctor has recommended I don't risk further injury. Monday night’s crowd was so special and I wish I could continue playing but I have to make a preventative decision.”
No. 7 seed Lesia Tsurenko advances to the quarterfinals by walkover and will play the winner of today’s Madison Keys versus Caroline Dolehide match.
The doubles match between Kristie Ahn/Nicole Gibbs and No. 3 seeds Abigail Spears/CoCo Vandeweghe, originally scheduled for Court 6, will be moved to Stadium Court following the Keys versus Dolehide match.
“This is definitely tough for Maria,” said Bank of the West Classic Tournament Director Vickie Gunnarsson. “She has so many fans which was evident by the support she received here on Monday night. We wish her a speedy recovery and hope to see her back on the court soon.”
The Bank of the West Classic, a Premier WTA event, features a 28-player singles draw as well as a 16-team doubles draw. The event is owned and operated by IMG and serves as the opening women's event of the US Open Series.
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The list of past champions of the event reads like a Who's Who of women's tennis including Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters.
ABOUT THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC: The Bank of the West Classic is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world and is the first stop of the US Open Series. Owned and operated by IMG, the WTA Premier event features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $776,000. Held on Stanford University’s campus at Taube Family Tennis Stadium since 1997, former champions include: Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters.
ABOUT BANK OF THE WEST: Bank of the West is a regional financial services company chartered in California and headquartered in San Francisco with $77.2 billion in assets as of March 31, 2016. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 offices in 23 states and digital channels. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 75 countries with 185,000 employees.
ABOUT THE US OPEN SERIES: Now in its 14th season, the world's best players on the WTA and ATP World Tour are coming together for the US Open Series. Linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open, the US Open Series serves as a true regular season of hard court tennis.
Featuring a cohesive schedule, the Series centralizes the way tennis is viewed in North America, across multiple television and digital platforms. Fans will see today's top champions go head-to-head with tomorrow's emerging stars, as storylines develop throughout the summer season. Each tournament also engages its local community with a variety of outreach initiatives, including grassroots youth tennis clinics and activities.
ABOUT IMG: IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions.