By Xinhua
Los Angeles : World number two Maria Sharapova will not play in the WTA event in Toronto starting Monday in order to save energy for the upcoming US Open.
Other marquee players who are giving Toronto a miss include Venus and Serena Williams, Amelie Mauresmo and Martina Hingis.
The tournament is still expected to include five of the top six players in the world, including world number one Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic and Anna Chakvetadze.
“Unfortunately at this stage of the summer and after many matches over the course of the past two weeks, my body is in need of rest,” Sharapova said on her website Saturday, prior to her semi-final clash with compatriot Nadia Petrova in the 600,000-dollar WTA event here.
Sharapova won her first title of the season in San Diego Sep 5. Having made it to the weekend in Los Angeles she was no doubt looking to schedule some rest before she begins the defence of her title at the US Open, which starts Aug 27 in New York.