Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova said Wednesday she was disappointed with her early exit from the China Open but "pretty grateful" to be playing after a long layoff due to a shoulder injury.

Sharapova, who was dismissed in straight sets in Beijing by China's Peng Shuai in the third round, had arthroscopic surgery a year ago to repair her right shoulder, and was out of action until May this year.

Since then, she reached the final in Toronto, where she lost to Russian world number four Elena Dementieva, and won the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last weekend — her first title since Amelia Island last year and her 20th overall.

"Exactly a year ago, I was going under the knife to get an operation on my shoulder, not doing well and wondering if I would ever be back playing tennis and hitting a tennis ball across the net," Sharapova told reporters.

"So, to be sitting here talking after losing a tennis match, you have to be pretty grateful about what you do and realise that you could be in a much worse situation."

Sharapova, who on Tuesday fought for three hours to defeat ninth seed Victoria Azarenka, did not blame fatigue for her loss to Peng.

"It was just not my day, I guess. Usually I am able to fight when things are not going well, and get myself going. I was just not able to do that today. I'm not sure why, but sometimes you have those days," she said.

But the three-time Grand Slam winner, currently ranked 15th in the world, said she was looking forward to getting into top shape in the off-season, and was "certainly excited" about her prospects for 2010.

"It was a lot of hard work to get back to just hitting a tennis ball, and it's going to be a bit harder to get to the top," the 22-year-old said.

"I'm certainly excited... for next year and years to come."