Maria Sharapova enters Bausch & Lomb Championships

Maria Sharapova has announced that she will play in the Bausch & Lomb Championships for the first time. Maria is currently ranked fifth in the world, and she will make her debut at Amelia Island Plantation on April 7-13 as the tournament's No. 1 seed. Maria is an absolute global superstar," tournament director John Arrix said. "It is really exciting for us to bring her to an event that is quaint and small but has so much history." Sharapova's decision to withdraw from the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami last week, due to a shoulder injury, has given her a chance to add the Amelia Island Tournament to her schedule.