Maria Sharapova refuses to answer ‘silly’ questions about drugs and booing

Maria Sharapova gave a frosty reception to reporters when she was asked about her use of meldonium and the hostile reaction she received from the crowd during her fourth-round exit from the Australian Open.

Sharapova suffered a 4-6 6-1 6-4 defeat at the hands of Australia's 15th seed Ashleigh Barty on Sunday.

The Melbourne fans booed the five-time Grand Slam winner when she returned from a seven-minute bathroom break at the end of the second set - something they clearly saw as an attempt to seek a tactical advantage.

Afterwards Sharapova was asked about the incident, to her obvious disgust. "Did you think they [the fans] were a bit unfair to you? Did it affect you at all?"

"What do you want me to say to that question?" Sharapova replied. "I think that's a silly question to ask."

She then gave an equally terse response to a question about the challenge of finding an alternative medication to meldonium, the substance she served a 15-month ban for taking when it was outlawed almost three years ago.

Asked if it is difficult to deal with the physical demands of a Grand Slam without her former medication, Sharapova replied: "Is there another question?"

Sportingly, Barty declined to complain about Sharapova's lengthy bathroom break in her post-match news conference.

"There is nothing I can do," she said, "I just have to wait, and I know she was playing by the rule book."

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