French Open closed to Maria
Wild card ruled out ‘to protect high standards’
PARIS — Maria Sharapova’s popularity and past success did not earn her the wild-card invitation she needed to get into the French Open after serving a 15-month doping ban.
“I’m very sorry for Maria, very sorry for her fans. They might be disappointed; she might be very disappointed,” French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said on Tuesday in a live broadcast via Facebook.
“But it’s my responsibility, it’s my mission, to protect the game and protect the high standards of the game.”
Giudicelli said he personally informed Sharapova of his ruling during a phone call on Tuesday. The French Open begins on May 28.
Three other tournaments, including the Italian Open this week, have granted her wild cards since her suspension ended last month.
“While there can be a wild card for a return from injury, there can’t be a wild card for a return from doping,” Giudicelli said.
A tournament can grant a wild card to any eligible player. WTA CEO Steve Simon said he disagreed with the French federation’s reasoning.
“She has complied with the sanction imposed,” Simon said in a statement emailed to Associated Press.
“There are no grounds for any member of the (tennis anti-doping program) to penalize any player beyond the sanctions set forth in the final decision resolving these matters.”
Sharapova did not comment on Tuesday’s announcement. She withdrew injured from her second-round match at the Italian Open on Tuesday when leading Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 4-6, 6-3, 2-1.
She skipped a post-match news conference but later apologized for the withdrawal in a statement. “I will be getting all the necessary examinations to make sure it is not serious,” the statement said.
Sharapova needed to reach the semifinals in Rome to qualify for Wimbledon’s main draw but has at least secured a qualifying spot at the All England Club.
She is a two-time champion at Roland Garros (2012 and 2014), the owner of a total of five major titles, a former No 1-ranked player and one of the world’s most recognizable athletes.
She returned to the WTA tour last month after testing positive for the banned heart drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January 2016.
Giudicelli acknowledged a legion of fans wanted to see Sharapova play in Paris.
“In several polls I could see that about two-thirds were in favor of Maria being granted a wild card. Of course I felt some pressure,” he said. “We didn’t want to treat Maria Sharapova differently.”
He felt that offering the 30-year-old a short cut into the main draw would send the wrong message in the fight against doping in sports.
“I know a lot of people might be disappointed by this decision,” he said. “But nevertheless Roland Garros invests a lot — along with the other Grand Slams, the ATP, and the WTA — into the fight against doping. It was inconceivable to take a decision that would have been the opposite.”
Thanks to results of her wild-card entries in two tournaments, Sharapova lifted her world ranking to outside the top 200 this week. But that wasn’t good enough to make the cut even for the qualifying field at Roland Garros.
Sharapova initially was given a two-year suspension after testing positive for the heart drug meldonium at last year’s Australian Open.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the ban on appeal, ruling she bore “less than significant fault” in the case and “could not be considered to be an intentional doper”.
Sharapova had been taking meldonium for many years, but overlooked announcements by WADA that it added the drug to its banned list on Jan 1, 2016.
“The Court of Arbitration reduced her suspension but also recognized that Maria was the sole person responsible for her misfortune,” Giudicelli said.
Top-ranked players Angelique Kerber and Andy Murray spoke out against Sharapova receiving wild cards, while Eugenie Bouchard said she should be banned for life.
Many players believed Sharapova should have had to start in bottom-rung tournaments to improve her ranking, rather than receive free passes into events on the main tour.
She was given wild cards at Stuttgart and Madrid before the Italian Open.
“Must be tough for her, but it’s the way it is,” Novak Djokovic said in Rome about the French Open ruling.
“In some tournaments, she’s going to get that help in wild card and invitation; some not. Unfortunately, it’s a Grand Slam, which is, for sure, for her, a big one.”
In several polls, about two-thirds (of fans) were in favor of Maria being granted a wild card. Of course I felt some pressure.” Bernard Giudicelli, president of the French Tennis Federation