Barty injury puts Sharapova into quarters

BRISBANE: Australian teenager Ashleigh Barty has withdrawn from the Brisbane International tennis tournament with a tear in a left abductor muscle.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Barty has also withdrawn from next week´s Hobart International. (AFP)