Maria Sharapova may quit the Game

Tennis beauty Maria Sharapova revealed yesterday, she may quit the game early to have children.

The 19-year-old Maria said, that "tennis isn't everything" and said she wanted to try other things in life. The world face of women's tennis, Sharapova said she could retire at a similar age to Belgian Kim Clijsters, who will leave the game this year aged 24.

"I want to have a family, of course. I want to try other things in my career," Maria said. "But I can definitely see myself retiring at that age." Maria Sharapova, who plays 61-st-ranked Frenchwoman Camille Pin in her first round match, practised with Martina Hingis at Rod Laver Arena yesterday.

The reigning US Open champion is aiming to win her first Australian Open Tennis Championships 2007 - The Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific, crown after having been knocked out in the semi-finals of the previous two tournaments. The Russian said she had undergone several weeks of solid training and issued an ominous warning to opponents. "I might not have that many matches under my belt, but I feel fresh and healthy, which is most important," she said.