Sharapova invited to go wild in Madrid

File photo shows Maria Sharapova playing as part of the Monica Puig Invitational at Coliseo Jose M. Agrelot on Dec 15, 2016 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. [Photo/VCG]

Former world No 1 Maria Sharapova has been invited to play at the Madrid Open in May, which takes place less than two weeks after her 15-month doping ban expires, tournament organizers said on Wednesday.

The five-time Grand Slam winner has been given a wildcard for the event, which opens on May 5.

It is scheduled to be her second comeback tournament after her suspension for doping, with the Russian set to return to action at the Stuttgart Grand Prix in April.

"Sharapova requested an invitation to play in the tournament and after careful consideration we decided to give her a wild card," said tournament director and former Wimbledon champion Manolo Santana.

"Maria is one of the best players of the last 15 years and also a past winner of our tournament.

"In Madrid she always plays well and I'm sure she will come back to the courts highly motivated and hoping to do well in her first tournaments."

Following a positive test for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, Sharapova was suspended for two years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cut the ban by nine months last October.

Sharapova's suspension divided opinion in the sport, with some viewing her as a test case.

The Florida-based Russian, who turns 30 on April 19, had called the ITF's original ruling "unfairly harsh" because she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

Meldonium was only added to the World Anti-Doping Agency list of banned substances at the start of 2016 after mounting evidence it boosted blood flow and enhanced performance.

CAS reduced Sharapova's suspension but said she "bore some degree of fault" by relying on agent Max Eisenbud to check the banned list for changes and failing to ensure he had done so.

"Sharapova is one of those players that all tennis fans want to see," said Madrid tournament CEO Gerard Tsobanian.

The tournament runs from May 6-13.

(China Daily 02/10/2017 page23)