Prepared to play French juniors, says Sharapova
STUTTGART:Maria Sharapova says she would ‘play in the juniors if I have to’ to compete at the French Open and Wimbledon, but has no interest in building bridges with her rivals after making her comeback from a doping ban.
Sharapova picked up a second win in as many days on her comeback from a 15-month doping ban on Thursday, beating fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova at the Stuttgart WTA tournament.
The 30-year-old five-time Grand Slam winner dominated Makarova, ranked 43 in the world, for a 7-5, 6-1 win in just one hour, 20 minutes, in the secondround tie.
Sharapova has also been granted wildcards into the Madrid and Rome WTA tournaments, but must wait until May 16 to learn if she will get a wild card for the French Open.
“I’d be prepared to play in the juniors if I have to,” she replied when asked about her desire to play the French Open or Wimbledon. “Everyone in this room knows what a competitor I am and if there is an opportunity to be in the draw, I will take it.
“I have been offered wild cards and I am accepting them.
“I am not getting a trophy or a golden platter, I have to win these games and that is my job.”
The organisers’ decision to parachute Sharapova into the main draw in Stuttgart, where she has been champion three times, drew criticism from rivals, who believed she was receiving preferential treatment. But she brushed off any personal remarks. “I can’t control what people say, all I can is what I do out there, they are my words and I prefer to walk the walk and I have done it by winning five Grand Slam titles,” she told a packed press conference.
“Words, quotes and articles are not what matter in life. I have learnt that very well in the last year. I’m coming back. There have been 200 credentials given at this event, and there’s news around it, but all that matters is what happens on the court.”
Vinci was one of those who said Sharapova should not have been given a wildcard in Stuttgart, but the Russian made it clear she will make no effort to build bridges in the locker room.