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Sharapova career in balance after Melbourne humiliation

Melbourne: Maria Sharapova burst onto the scene as a supremely gifted teenager and won five Grand Slams before serving a drugs ban, but at age 32 a persistent injury has now thrown her turbulent career into grave doubt.

The Russian former world number one's ranking is set to dive below 350 after Tuesday's first-round defeat at the Australian Open.

There have been suggestions that Sharapova could soon retire and she did little to dispel that notion following the straight-sets loss to the 19th seed Donna Vekic.

Asked by AFP if she will be back in Melbourne again, she replied: "I don't know, I don't know.

"It's tough for me to tell what's going to happen in 12 months' time."

Sharapova, banned for 15 months for failing a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open, also said that she did not know what her playing schedule will be in the weeks ahead.

There were moments when Sharapova's downcast press conference took on the air of a farewell.

One journalist asked what the best decision had been in her career.

"I surrounded myself with great people and a great team, and I think it starts with that because you can't always get to where you want to go alone," replied Sharapova.

The Russian once rivalled Serena Williams on court for Grand Slams as well as off it as one of the most marketable women in sport, her net worth estimated by Forbes at 195

million.

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