Maria Sharapova out of US Open with shoulder injury According to Max Eisenbud, Sharapova's agent, she has been suffering from pain in her shoulder since before the French Open, and it is understood that she has had injections to try to resolve the problem. The fact that the pain is in her serving shoulder - the same joint that underwent reconstructive surgery in 2008, will only heighten concerns about her prognosis. I have done many tests, received several opinions and it all comes down to taking the proper amount of time to heal my shoulder injury properly. It's certainly not an easy decision to make ahead of one of my favorite tournaments, but I know it's the right one that will get me back on the courts soon. I plan on taking the next few weeks off, receiving proper treatment and rehabilitation. I will miss being part of the US Open, but can't wait for next year! Seeded No 3, Sharapova has been struggling for form as well as fitness and had lost both her most recent matches: the first a shock exit in the second round of Wimbledon against world No 131 Michelle Larcher De Brito, and the second an erratic performance against Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati a week ago. She was seen as a less likely bet for the title than either of the women ranked above her: Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. Even so, her withdrawal will be a major blow for a women's draw that has already lost the last grand slam champion - the now-retired Marion Bartoli. Despite the criticism that her fortissimo grunting often attracts, she is the most popular player on the women's circuit, as well as the best paid. Agnieszka Radwanska, the stylish Pole who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, will thus move up one place in the seedings to No 3.