Sharapova crashes out in first round at Indian Wells
Maria Sharapova has been knocked out in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters in California.
The former world number one was beaten in straight sets by Naomi Osaka of Japan.
This follows the Russian’s exit in the first round of the Qatar Open last month.
The 30-year-old did little to impress on her way to a 6-4 6-4 loss, making six double faults across the two sets and managing to win just 25% of points on her second serve.
At just 20 years of age, Osaka now has a series of impressive scalps to her name, including beating Angelique Kerber in last year’s US Open.
Sharapova was ranked 41st in the world before the match, a ranking sure to take a further slide from the dizzying heights – champion at Indian Wells in 2006 and 2013 – she once knew.
She said:
I wanted to do well here and not just because I won this event a couple times,
I would have loved to stay longer it is just not going to happen this year.
Osaka will play Agnieszka Radwanska in round two.