By Richard Eaton
Dubai - Maria Sharapova hopes to rival world number one Justine Henin this year despite deciding to withdraw from the Dubai Open because of a virus on Tuesday.
"I feel I have improved tremendously since the time I played Justine here (two years ago, when she lost in the final)," she said.
"It takes time to improve your game, but I have had a solid year this year," added Sharapova who followed her triumph at the Australian Open last month, the third Grand Slam title of her career, by winning the Qatar Open last week.
"And I am sure that I am going to play Justine for many years to come. Hopefully I will be able to achieve the things she has achieved."
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But to manage this Sharapova feels she must be careful with her health and schedule. She played all the way through the Doha tournament with the same virus, she claims, and felt worse when she woke up in Dubai on Monday.
"I think it's a lot of flying which has done it," she said.
"I have done a lot of traveling in the last few weeks - going from Australia to Israel, then home, with no rest at all, practising for Doha and going there.
"I have to be smart about my decisions and I have made some wrong ones in the past - getting injured and getting sick, and going out there and not being 100 percent. Then you are liable to hurt yourself. I have a long year.
"It's unfortunate and you always try to do the best so you can to compete. But if you are not 110 percent mentally and physically I owe it to the fans not to go out there and play half fit.
"Realistically, thinking about it, I didn't think I could play five matches here, and as an athlete you have to be mentally and physically ready. After a few really long weeks you need a rest.
"I am very disappointed but this was a wise decision. I hope the fans will come and see me when I come back next time."
Sharapova added that it was not possible to have made other flying arrangements, because although she is able to fly privately in Europe and the United States this is not possible between the US and the Middle East.
She says she will return to her home in Florida and have a vacation.
"It will be somewhere where there is a limited amount of people around, and I'll have a book in front of me and read. Which will give me a fresh frame of mind for the next tournament."
Sharapova expects to compete next at the WTA Tour eleven-day tier one event in Indian Wells, starting on March 16, and to follow it by playing the following fortnight in the tier one tournament in Miami. - Sapa-AFP
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