Sharapova out of US Open due to injury

Maria Sharapova of Russia speaks at a news conference after being defeated by Michelle Larcher De Brito of Portugal in their women's singles tennis match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London June 26, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW -- Russian top tennis player Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the US Open tournament due to shoulder injury, the organizers said Thursday.

"Maria (Sharapova) has informed us that she will be unable to compete at the US Open this year due to a right shoulder bursitis and has withdrawn from the tournament," the tournament's director David Brewer said in a statement.

"We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to her return to New York next year," it added.

Sharapova's agent Max Eisenbud told US media that shoulder problem has been bothering the top Russian athlete for more than three months, even before the French Open in May.

The US Open will kick off in New York from August 27 till September 9. Sharapova's withdrawal results in Agnieszka Radwanska becoming the No. 3 seed in women's singles.

The withdrawal decision means Sharapova wouldn't need to change her last name into Sugarpova temporarily to promote her candy brand in the upcoming two weeks in the United States.

The 26-year-old had applied to the Supreme Court of Florida for the name change as a way to draw more attention to her sweets line, foreign media reported earlier.