Maria Sharapova Defuses Serena Williams Row (VIDEO)

Sharapova Moves On From Williams Row

Maria Sharapova today refused to further inflame her row with Serena Williams as she insisted it was time for tennis to come first.

After completing a first-round 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 Wimbledon win over Kristina Mladenovic, talk quickly turned to her relationship with reigning champion Williams.

Sharapova, 26, who made her Wimbledon debut 10 years ago and landed the title 12 months later, went on the offensive on Saturday after an article in Rolling Stone magazine quoted Williams as making negative comments about Grigor Dimitrov.

Sharapova suspects the comments were about her and boyfriend Dimitrov, and she returned fire by taking a swipe at Williams' love life. Williams, in turn, said yesterday that she believed clear-the-air talks between the pair at a party in London on Thursday had seen Sharapova accept her apology.

"I've said everything that I wanted to say about the issue," Sharapova said today.

"Wimbledon started. This is my work. This is my job. I'd really appreciate it if we move on.

"This is one of the most incredible tournaments. This is where all of us work. This is our job. Our job is to go out on the court and work and try to win matches and nothing else.

"That's the most important thing to me in my life right now."

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