I want to play for Russia in Fed Cup - Sharapova

World number one Maria Sharapova said yesterday she wanted to play for Russia in the Fed Cup at some point in the future.

The Florida-based 18-year-old has turned down invitations to play for the country of her birth in the past in order to concentrate on improving her singles ranking.

Addressing reporters before the opening of the Kremlin Cup, Sharapova said: "I want to play for Russia, I definitely want to play for Russia in Fed Cup competition.

"I just don't know when I'll be ready to make my Fed Cup debut."

Russia have won the women's team tennis competition for the last two years without Sharapova's participation.

Last year she was involved in a public squabble with Anastasia Myskina, who led Russia to their 2004 Fed Cup win.

Last week Myskina hinted that she might no longer play Fed Cup.

Sharapova added: "I didn't play (Fed Cup) this year because it would have been too tough for me but in the future yes, it's definitely one of my big goals.

"I also want to play in the Olympics and would love to represent Russia there as well."

Sharapova did not get a chance to play at last year's Athens Olympics despite winning the Wimbledon title a month earlier because she was not ranked high enough at the time.

A maximum four players from a single country could have played in the Olympics and Sharapova was not among Russia's top four when the selection was made.

Sharapova, who left Russia 11 years ago with her father to pursue her tennis career in the United States, arrived in Moscow last week and will make her Kremlin Cup debut tomorrow.

"I definitely feel Russian inside, even when I'm in America I feel Russian," she said. "But coming here for the first time in years it made me feel even more so."

¤ The ATP has ordered the organisers of this month's Madrid Masters Series to reverse their decision to abandon the doubles category in the tournament. "The ATP was unaware of the Masters Series Madrid's decision to announce that they planned to suspend their doubles competition in support of the ATP, which has been sued by a number of doubles players," the ATP said in a statement.

"Irrespective of the tournament's motivation, they have been advised that they are not in a position to unilaterally make such changes." The organisers of the Madrid Masters announced last week they had decided to abandon the doubles because of the lawsuit being brought by 45 players against the ATP for what they regard as attempts to erode the discipline's standing in the sport.

¤ Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek battled to her first WTA title on Sunday, beating Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova on her home turf 6-0 4-6 6-3 to win the Tashkent Open. "The final was hard psychologically because I had to play against the hostess, with the crowd supporting her," a thrilled Krajicek said after the match. Krajicek, who has been plagued by injury, also gave special thanks to brother Richard, a former Wimbledon champion.