Sharapova sent packing

BEIJING. — Maria Sharapova opened up on the despair she feels in defeat after she was ruthlessly knocked out of the China Open tennis tournament in the third round by Romania’s Simona Halep yesterday.

The world number two was an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 winner in 72 minutes to leave five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova still searching for her first title since returning from a doping ban in April.

The Russian Sharapova, a former number one now languishing at 104 in the world rankings following her 15-month suspension for taking meldonium, gave an insight into the rollercoaster of emotions in top-level tennis.

“Hard work is not good enough any more, maybe it was - I don’t know how many years ago - but that’s just not a factor any more,” said the 30-yearold, asked about comments in a book she recently released.

“The reason I say that is there’s some incredible moments, very high moments, and there are very low moments.

“There have been times where I get off the court and you think, I don’t wish this on my future child. The feeling is so tough and disappointing.

“You work so much, you dedicate so much of your time, you have so many people around you, and sometimes it doesn’t work according to plan, so you start asking questions.

“But then once you work, you keep going, keep fighting through it, the rewards are very incredible and special.

“They have nothing to do with finance, they have nothing to do with trophies, it’s really internal.”

Halep, the second seed on Beijing’s outdoor hard courts, is the first woman into the China Open quarter-finals.

Having turfed out Sharapova and with world number one Garbine Muguruza exiting in the first round with a virus, the 26-year-old Halep is now favourite in the Chinese capital.