Sharapova withdraws from Dubai championship

Maria Sharapova, who flew into Dubai earlier this week direct from a victory in Doha, has announced her withdrawal from the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships due to a viral illness, according to organisers.

The Australian Open champion, who was scheduled to play her first round match on Centre Court at 7pm this evening, is disappointed that she will be unable to compete in the Dubai Duty Free owned tournament which this year attracted 9 of the top 10 players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

"I was really excited to come to Dubai this week and was very much looking forward to playing the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. Unfortunately I have been battling a virus for several days and it's reached a point where I'm unable to compete. This is really disappointing to me, but I do intend to come back to Dubai next year and hopefully have a great tournament," she said in a statement released to the press.

Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, said, "We are obviously disappointed that Maria will not be playing in Dubai as we know that she enjoys playing here and is extremely popular with the crowds. However, we understand her need to rest as a result of this illness and wish her a speedy recovery."