By Chris Oddo | Monday, January 4, 2016
Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep both announced their withdrawals from Brisbane on Tuesday.
Photo Source: AFP
The Brisbane International took a big hit on Tuesday, as two of its top three seeds withdrew due to injury.
Maria Sharapova, who was set to face fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova on Tuesday, pulled out with a left forearm injury. Top-seeded Simona Halep later also withdrew.
According to WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen, Sharapova injured the arm a few days ago while preparing for the tournament.
Halep, who was scheduled to face Victoria Azarenka in the second round, announced that she was bothered by an achilles tendon strain. According to reports, it’s the same injury that bothered her last summer, and she had an MRI taken this week to determine the damage.
"Yeah, I'm planning to go to Sydney,” Halep said, according to WTATennis.com. “Actually tomorrow I'm going there. I did an MRI and it's nothing dangerous. But it's still an inflammation. … I just have to take a few days' rest."