NEW YORK — Maria Sharapova pulled out of the US Open for the second time in three years Sunday, withdrawing on the eve of the tournament because of a lingering right leg injury. The US Tennis Association announced the withdrawal via a press release at about the same time that Sharapova, who won the title in New York in 2006, posted the news on her Facebook page. “Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in this (year's US) Open. I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time,” Sharapova's message said. “To all my amazing fans, I will be back in the Asian swing in a few weeks and look forward to finishing the year healthy and strong.” In 2013, Sharapova skipped the US Open because of a right shoulder injury. She also missed the Grand Slam tournament played on hard courts in Flushing Meadows in 2008, when she was off the tour for about 10 months because of surgery on her right shoulder. Sharapova has not played a match on tour since losing to No. 1-ranked Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals in July. The 28-year-old Russian withdrew from hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati in August, citing a right leg strain. Sharapova is a five-time major champion who was going to be seeded No. 3 for the US Open. She was drawn to possibly face Williams — who is bidding for tennis' first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1988 — in the semifinals. The USTA said that Daria Kasatkina, an 18-year-old Russian who is ranked 133rd, is the lucky loser who will replace Sharapova in the main draw. Murray confident even without Mauresmo British third seed Andy Murray is confident as he prepares to launch his latest US Open campaign Tuesday despite coach Amelie Mauresmo being absent on maternity leave. The 28-year-old Scotsman took his fourth title of the season earlier this month at Montreal, adding to a trophy haul that included the Bavarian Championship, Madrid Open and Queen's. He beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the Montreal final to break an eight-match losing streak to the Serb star over the past two years. “I feel confident,” Murray said. “I'm hitting the ball well. I've played as lot of matches so my body is match tight, which is good, and I've also played a couple long matches the last few weeks, which is physically good preparation for here.” Murray, who has a high-profile opener Tuesday against Nick Kyrgios after the Australian bad-boy was sanctioned for comments in a match at Montreal to rival Stan Wawrinka, is being guided by Swede Jonas Bjorkman while France's Mauresmo is recovering after giving birth. Sunday final For the first time since 2007, the US Open men's final could be played on a Sunday. That is the traditional final day of a Grand Slam tennis tournament, including in New York — until five straight years of rain, followed by a two-year schedule change partly prompted by that wet weather, pushed the last match to Monday. Now, under the US Tennis Association's new TV contract with ESPN, the sport's fourth major of the season will look like the first three. Gone for good is “Super Saturday,” the old format pairing the men's semis and women's final. The men get their desired day off between the last two rounds, while the women's semis are now in Thursday prime time. — Agencies
