Maria Sharapova's effort to avenge her Wimbledon final loss to Petra Kvitova was brought to an abrupt end on Thursday after she twisted an ankle in the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open. The Russian world number two was serving 40-15 up at 3-4 in an even first set when the injury struck. Sharapova received court-side treatment but decided to retire soon afterwards, giving the Czech a free ticket to the semi-finals.
"I hit a serve and then landed awkwardly on my left ankle. I felt a sharp pain and next thing I knew I was on the floor. It swelled up immediately and I knew there was no way I could continue," said Sharapova in a statement. "I am incredibly disappointed and in a lot of pain. I obviously really wanted to win and felt that I was playing well. "There's not much more I can say right now. I'm sorry for the tournament and my Japanese fans that the match had to end this way," added the two-time Pan Pacific champion. Kvitova, who claimed her first Grand Slam title by beating Sharapova in June's Wimbledon final, described her withdrawal as "sad."
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