Maria Sharapova Returns

Maria Sharapova Returns

AP

After missing nearly 10 months of singles action with a shoulder injury, Sharapova returned May 18 at the Warsaw Open in Poland. She beat 68th-ranked Tathiana Garbin 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-3 in her opening match. She later lost in the quarterfinals to Alona Bondarenko.

Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty Images

Sharapova's return came a week before the start of the French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament she has not won. The 22-year-old Russian has won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open once apiece.

AP

Because of her inactivity, Sharapova's ranking has plummeted to 126th. She was ranked No. 1 as late as last year.

Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty Images

Sharapova had surgery for a torn right rotator cuff in October, causing her to miss the past two Grand Slam tournaments. She was unable to defend her title at the 2009 Australian Open; Serena Williams won the event to claim her 10th major championship.

Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty Images

Of her long layoff from tennis, Sharapova told reporters: ''In these nine months, the only thing I've accomplished is probably a good pasta carbonara. At the end of the day, that's not my specialty.''

AP

Not surprisingly, Sharapova showed some rust as she launched her comeback in Poland. ''When you haven't been there, haven't done that in a while, it throws you off a little bit,'' she said of her difficulty in closing out her first-round match.