September 25th, 2011
TOKYO (AFP) - World number two Maria Sharapova on Sunday admitted to concerns about playing in the Pan Pacific Open in Japan after the March earthquake-tsunami sparked the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
But the popular Russian said that the presence of seven of the world's top 10 women's players in Tokyo should serve as 'a big statement' of support for Japan in a time of crisis.
‘There was definitely a lot of talk before the tournament, a lot of players having concerns whether it's safe to come here,’ Sharapova said.
‘I know that a few actually didn't come here because they were a little bit scared.’ Before the matches began Sunday, organisers and players held a short ceremony to mourn the devastation wrought by the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami that left more than 20,000 dead or missing along Japan's northeastern Pacific coast.
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