Tennis-Injured Sharapova out of WTA Championship

Oct 7 (Reuters) - World number three Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the end-of-season WTA Championship in Istanbul due to the shoulder injury that kept her out of the recent U.S. Open, she told the tour website (www.wtatennis.com) on Monday. The 26-year-old Russian has not played since losing to Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati in August. The WTA Championship begins on Oct. 22. (Reporting by Josh Reich; editing by Tony Jimenez)