World number eleven Vera Zvonareva will replace injured Maria Sharapova in the women's singles at the Beijing Olympics, Russian tennis federation announced in Moscow on Friday.

Playing her first match since a shock second-round defeat by compatriot Alla Kudryavtseva at Wimbledon in June, Sharapova twice received treatment on her shoulder during her three-hour battle with Poland's Marta Domachowska in a Montreal Cup second round match on Wednesday.

She won the match but MRIs found two small tears in the tendons of her shoulder and the 21-year-old announced the withdrawal from the Beijing Games the following day.

The 23-year-old Zvonareva, who is set to play the women's doubles, will play the women's singles alongside with Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina.

Sharapova joins a growing list of Beijing casualties, including Athens silver medalist Amelie Mauresmo and former French Open winner Mary Pierce.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2008)