Sharapova can't take lead Games role

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They were worried that the 21-year-old former Wimbledon champion would feel drained if she played a lead role in the parade and that could affect her bid for Olympic gold.

"She wanted to be a flag-bearer but I advised against it," said Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev.

"I don't want her to spend three or four hours in hot weather waiting to march in the opening ceremony. We want her to be fresh, not tired, during her matches."

World No2 Sharapova has decided against living in the athletes village during the Games in August.

"She said she didn't want to stay there because it's very noisy there and she needed plenty of rest between matches," added Tarpishchev.

Sharapova will lead a powerful Russian women's tennis team in China alongside Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina - all in the top 10. Tarpishchev said Dementieva, who won silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, also asked not to stay in the athletes village.

"That's not a problem for us and we will book a hotel room for them," he said. "The problem might be the traffic and transportation from the hotel to the tennis venue and back."

While the Russian women are posing another strong challenge at Wimbledon, France's Marion Bartoli is maintaining her bid to again make a big impact at SW19

Last year's surprise finalist had a comfortable second-round win over the Ukraine's Tatiana Perebiynis 6-2, 7-5. The No11 seed has struggled this year with injury but reached the semi-final of the International Women's Open at Eastbourne last week.