Maria Sharapova can’t find her way

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Maria Sharapova, the 10th-seeded player at the BNP Paribas Open, needed treatment on her right arm in the third set and it didn’t seem to help. Sharapova lost three of the four games she played after a trainer worked on the arm, and lost her third-round match to 18th-seeded Zheng Jie of China, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

The match lasted 2 hours 43 minutes and Zheng kept Sharapova on the run. Sharapova, whose serve has been a weakness since before she had right shoulder surgery almost two years ago, also double faulted at key points in the match, including on break point in the eighth game of the final set to give Zheng a 5-3 lead and the chance to serve out the match. Zheng did, with confidence, losing only one point and hitting a ferocious forehand winner on her second match point.

Sharapova left with her head down and with only the tiniest wave for the crowd.

-- Diane Pucin