Maria Sharapova out of Miami with arm injury

Maria Sharapova has been forced to withdraw from next week’s Miami Open because of an injury to her left forearm.

The 30-year-old Russian is a five-time runner-up at Key Biscayne and had been hoping to get her season back on track.

“I am really sorry that I have to withdraw from one of my favorite tournaments with my left forearm injury,” the world number 41 said in a statement.

“I am doing everything possible to return to the tour as soon as possible.”

Defeat by Naomi Osaka in the first round of Indian Wells last week saw Sharapova suffer a third straight defeat for the first time since 2003.

Sharapova is a former world number one and five-time Grand Slam champion, but injuries and a lack of form have seen her struggle to match those heights since returning from a 15-month doping ban in April.

World number six Dominic Thiem is the latest casualty on the men’s side, the Austrian pulling out of Miami after rolling his ankle in Indian Wells.

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka remain absent as they contend with long-term injuries.

However, Belgium’s David Goffin, the world number seven, plans to return in Miami after missing Indian Wells with an eye injury suffered in Rotterdam when he was struck by a ball.

Happy to go to #Miami to play the @MiamiOpen! This is a very important test to make sure my eye is ok and everything is alright for the rest of the season. See you there! ???????? pic.twitter.com/QZJdGmiXc5

— David Goffin (@David__Goffin) March 15, 2018