Maria Sharapova plans to be back on tour next week.
Sidelined by shoulder surgery, Sharapova wrote on her Web site Monday that she will play her first competitive singles match in nearly 10 months at the May 18-23 clay-court tournament in Warsaw, Poland.
The posting makes no mention of the French Open, the major championship played on clay that starts May 24.
“I know it is going to take me a while to get back into the groove of playing tournaments and matches, but I am so excited to be competing again,” Sharapova said.
The three-time Grand Slam title winner was sidelined in August by a torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder and had surgery two months later.
Sharapova has played one doubles match since then, losing at Indian Wells, Calif., in March.
“It has not been an easy process these last few months,” Monday’s posting reads.
Ranked as high as No. 1, the Russian is now No. 65.
She was forced to miss the last two Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S Open and Australian Open.
“My family and coach have been a tremendous part of this comeback, and I think it’s important to acknowledge that without their drive, daily laughs and endless belief in my ability, I would be sipping a pina colada on a deserted island (not that there’s something wrong with that, but playing tennis is just so much more exciting at this stage of my life),” the posting says.
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