Defending champion Maria Sharapova will make her first appearance since Wimbledon at the San Diego Classic this week as she once again tests her long-standing shoulder injury.
The world No. 2, who beat Kim Clijsters in last year's final to capture the hardcourt title here, has been dogged by the injury problem since the spring.
Pain-killing shots helped her to the French Open semi-finals and a Wimbledon fourth-round loss to Venus Williams.
Following the wet fortnight at the All England Club, the 20-year-old Russian underwent a precautionary scan and controversially pulled out of Russia's Fed Cup semi-final win over the US.
Despite failing to win a trophy so far this season, and with her US Open title defense approaching, Sharapova does not seem worried.
"I'm 20 years old, I've won two Grand Slams. I've been No. 1 in the world," she said.
"I've got plenty more years to either win matches or find confidence," she said.
Serb Jelena Jankovic, who won a surprise Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Jamie Murray, has played just one Fed Cup rubber indoors since the All England Club.
She will get back on cement for the first time since March in Miami.
Along with the other eight leading seeds, she has a first-round bye at what will be the last edition of an event which has fallen victim to the WTA calendar shake-up.
Russians hold half of the top eight seedings, with Anna Chakvetadze at three, Nadia Petrova fourth and Dinara Safina eighth.
Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli of France will try to put behind last week's opening-match disappointment at Stanford when she was defeated by Lilia Osterloh.
The Frenchwoman has admitted to still being tired and overwhelmed by her surprise Grand Slam performance this month.
Slovak Daniela Hantuchova takes the sixth seeding with Martina Hingis at seven and playing for the first time since a back injury which hampered her Wimbledon.
Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, who will represent her family after sister Serena withdrew with her thumb injury, last played the event in 2002 when she lifted the title with a win over Jelena Dokic.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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