By DPA
London : Maria Sharapova is worrying as much about her long-running shoulder injury as her tennis after reaching the second round of Wimbledon.
Though the 2004 winner comfortably moved into the second round with a 6-1, 7-5 over Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan here Tuesday, the US-based Russian is already planning three weeks off after the event to try and get her problems sorted.
Doctors "tell me it's more of a strength issue, and that's something that's going to be very important after this tournament," said Sharapova, the second seed.
"Probably the three weeks I'll have of no tournaments, I'm going to be working on a lot of strength," she added.
harapova took a cortisone shot several months ago which saw her through the French Open, but that's not an experience she is keen to repeat.
"First, I hate needles. Second … I don't think cortisone is the best thing for your body, especially when you're 20 years old," she said.
The former No.1 said that while she is told she cannot injure the joint further by playing, the niggle can work mental tricks.
"Some days are better than others, some days I don't have as much confidence in my arm as I do," Sharapova said.
"Especially in these conditions when it's so cold, the balls are heavy, even heavier than they were at the French Open. But it's just really how you deal with it," she said.
"As long as I get an OK from the doctors – I saw them before this tournament began," she said. "They've given me a green light as long as I can manage the pain. It's in my hands to manage it as much as I can."