Sharapova to dodge Barty

Brisaben - Australian teenager Ashleigh Barty has withdrawn from the Brisbane International tennis tournament with a tear in a left abductor muscle.

Barty was scheduled to play third seed Maria Sharapova in the second round on Wednesday.

Sharapova will now advance to the quarter-finals, where she will play 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

"It's been great to play at home in Brisbane and it's disappointing I won't be able to play against Maria tomorrow, but I've got to do what's right for my body," said Barty, 17.

"Sometimes these are really hard decisions to make but that's what I have to do."

Barty has also withdrawn from next week's Hobart International.