Dubai, UAE - Maria Sharapova has hinted that private jet travel could be her secret weapon in the fight against infection after withdrawing ill on Tuesday from the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. "I do about 50 hours a year," the 20-year-old fifth-ranked millionairess said of her private charters around the worldwide WTA circuit, which according to leasing figures would cost in excess of 400,000 dollars per year.
"I'm luckily in the position to be able to fly privately within Europe and the States. But going from LA to Dubai, there's really no other way than commercial."
Sharapova pulled out less than 48 hours after winning her second title of the season last weekend in Doha.
The Australian Open champion stands an undefeated 14-0 this season.
Sharapova blamed a frantic travel schedule during the first two months of the year with contributing to her condition. Since late December, she has played in Singapore, Melbourne, Israel and the Gulf.
She plans a week or more of rest at an undisclosed holiday location before steeling herself for the big American events from March 12 at Indian Wells followed by Miami.
"I just want to go somewhere that doesn't have a lot of people around and put a book in front of my nose and relax," she said.
Sharapova said she played last week in Doha, which experienced several days of European-like chill plus sandstorms, while carrying a virus.
"I woke up feeling bad on Monday. When I came here and hit for 15 minutes on Monday night, I knew there was no way I could play.
"I have made mistakes beforeby trying to play through illness and only making it worse. I knew there was no way I could play a potential five matches in five days here.
"You can get injured if you try and play while ill. I have been playing great this year, I won the Australian open with one of the toughest draws.
"I'm sorry to miss this week but I'll have plenty of years to come back and play Dubai."
Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze picked up the slack in the first round, coming through over Polish qualifier Agnieszwa Radwanska 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Chakvetadze said that her scoreline was tougher than it might have looked. "I don't have many outdoor wins," she said after reaching a second-round match against compatriot Dinara Safin.
"I know I can play better. But every win now is good for me and helps build confidence."
Chakvetadze was reluctant to speak, but said that she has now put behind an ugly home invasion incident from late last year at her family's home in Moscow.
"We now live with bodyguards in the house," I don't think it's strange," she said. "For the first three nights afterward, I couldn't sleep in my room.
"But that's all in the past now and I really don't want to speak of it anymore."
Austrian Sybille Bammer, Austria advanced over Russian Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, while Lucie Safarova beat Japan's veteran Ai Sugiyama 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia won into a match in the second round with top seed and four-time champion Justine Henin after beating former world number three Nadia Petrova 6-4, 6-4.
Henin, given a bye in the opening round, owns a 16-0 mark in Dubai and comes in as a heavy title favourite after winning two of her three tournaments this season (Sydney and Antwerp).
