-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World No. 3 Maria Sharapova has blasted the ruling body of women 's tennis over its demands for top players ahead of this month 's Italian Open in Rome . Maria Sharpova is furious after being threatened with a $ 300,000 fine by the WTA . The Australian Open champion is furious after being threatened with a $ 300,000 fine if she does not participate in a publicity event before the Tier 1 tournament . `` I want all my fans to know that the WTA Tour is forcing me and several of the other top players to do a four-hour commercial shoot for WTA Tour marketing materials , '' Sharapova told her Web site . `` They want me to do this shoot on Sunday , Monday or Tuesday of the Rome tournament after flying 12 hours from Los Angeles . `` I have set my own personal rules when it comes to doing shoots and I never do shoots before tournaments because they are mentally draining and I want to just focus on my tennis . `` Now the WTA is telling me if I do n't do this shoot they will fine me over $ 300,000 . As you can see the WTA Tour loves to fine players . `` To be honest , I would love to do this and help promote the tour as much as possible , but to force me to do this shoot the day before a Tier 1 tournament is just not right . '' The 21-year-old will be returning to action in the event starting May 12 after skipping Russia 's Fed Cup semifinal against the United States last weekend . She was beaten by Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston in her last outing two weeks ago . Sharapova also made a statement explaining her absence from the German Open in Berlin starting on May 5 . `` The WTA Tour makes many players enter tournaments that they know the players will not be playing , '' she told her Web site . `` I informed the WTA several months ago that if I played Charleston , I would have to pull out of Berlin . `` Now they are forcing me to give an injury for the reason why I am pulling out or they will give me an additional fine on top of the $ 125,000 fine already given me . I am a very giving person but I refuse to give any more of my money to the WTA Tour . `` So I want everyone to know that apart from getting sick the past few days , I am healthy and I am looking forward to playing Rome . '' Meanwhile , top seed Vera Zvonareva has reached the final of the Czech Open in Prague , beating Slovenian fourth seed Katarina Srebotnik 6-2 6-4 on Saturday . The Russian will next play either third seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus or seventh-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova as she seeks to clinch her first title this season on Sunday . In Morocco , second seed Gisela Dulko of Argentina reached Sunday 's final of the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem after beating French fourth seed Aravane Rezai 7-6 -LRB- 8-6 -RRB- 6-3 in Fez . Top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain will face Greta Arn of Hungary in Saturday 's other semifinal . E-mail to a friend