Sharapova out of Toronto tournament with injured right leg

The 28-year-old Russian withdrew due to a right leg strain, tournament organisers said on Friday.

The World’s best women players will be gathering in Toronto for that all-important preparation for the final Slam of the year but missing will be World No. 2 Maria Sharapova.

World number one Serena Williams will be chasing her fourth Rogers Cup crown after wins in 2013, 2011 and 2001.

There is simply no one that can beat Williams when she’s on her game.

The Rogers Cup was to be her first hard court tournament of the summer, as she prepares for the year’s final Grand Slam event at Flushing Meadows in New York. She will compete against several Grand Slam winners she has already beaten before, the Williams sisters among them.

She comes to Toronto with a near flawless match record of 40-1, her only loss to Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals in Madrid.

Simona Halep will move up to the No. 2 seed, which Sharapova had occupied. Bouchard was practically begging to leave the court as she lost in three sets to American Shelby Rogers, while on the receiving end of two bagels.