Sharapova desperate for repeat of Paris glamour

PARIS, Jan 28: Maria Sharapova swaps sweltering Melbourne for wet and chilly Paris on Monday hoping her love affair with the French capital will help bury her Australian Open nightmare.

The world number three was a shock fourth-round loser at the season-opening Grand Slam, going down to eventual finalist Dominika Cibulkova, her hopes hamstrung by a hip injury.

But Paris only brings back warm recent memories for the Russian star who will start the WTA indoor tournament this week as top seed at the city's Stade Coubertin, just a short walk from Roland Garros where she clinched the French Open in 2012, completing a career Grand Slam.