Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova has to leave the 2010 Australian Open after her defeat on the opening day, but the Russian told her fans she was not discouraged and would fight on.
The defeat of the 22-year-old tennis player, who holds three Grand Slam titles, including the 2008 Australian Open, has disappointed her numerous fans. She was knocked out in the first game of this season's major tennis tournament by her compatriot Maria Kirilenko in three sets 6-7, 6-3, 4-6.
"A bad day's not going to stop me from doing what I love. I'm still going to go back on the court and work hard and perform," the official website of the tournament quoted Sharapova as saying.
Sharapova finished 2009 ranked 14 in the world, having spent much of the first half of the year out of the top 100 due to shoulder surgery, but hoped to return to her best form in 2010.
"I just didn't win the match... bottom line. That's just the way it goes. You know, it's just a bad day," she said.
However, Sharapova, the 2009 richest Russian athlete, whose income mainly comes from advertising contracts, is not losing any ranking points as the WTA standings are based on a 12-month period system and since she missed last year's Australian Open, she had no points to defend this time.
MOSCOW, January 18 (RIA Novosti)
