Sharapova hate is ‘her own fault’
Maria Sharapova may now have the status as the most hated sports person in the world, but Marina Erakovic says she’s brought all of this on herself.
Players have been lining up to stick the boot into Sharapova while she served a 15-month ban for taking meldonium at last year’s Australian Open, shortly after it was included on the list of banned substances.
She was controversially given a wildcard for the current WTA tournament in Stuttgart, will get them for Madrid and Rome and is after one for next month’s French Open.
In the women’s locker room Sharapova has few friends and the New Zealand No 1, who has been on the professional circuit for 11 years, says she’s never had a conversation with the Russian.
Canadian Eugene Bouchard last week labelled Sharapova a ‘‘cheater’’ who shouldn’t be allowed back in the game, while Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska and even Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have also spoken out against her.
The attacks on Sharapova have come when she’s at her most vulnerable and the lowest point of her career, but Erakovic says she’s getting what she deserves.
‘‘The current situation with the players is Maria’s own fault,’’ Erakovic said.
‘‘She’s put herself in this situation and she’s said that this is how she wants to approach tennis, to do her own thing, have no contact with anyone and that’s her choice.
‘‘I’ve never had any involvement with her, or even had a conversation with her. So I don’t know her personally.’’
Like other players, Erakovic doesn’t believe it’s right that Sharapova has been given wildcards to tournaments, but understands why tournament directors have been offering them to her.
‘‘If it was any other player who hasn’t been a past champion, they’d start from the beginning,’’ Erakovic said.
‘‘It would have been a character builder and I think people would have a lot more respect for her if she’d done that, but that’s not the case.
‘‘Tennis is a business and Maria Sharapova will sell tickets and that’s the bottom line.’’
ASB Classic tournament director Karl Budge told the Sunday Star-Times last month that he wants Sharapova at next year’s event and had a meeting with her people in America last month.
Those talks will continue at the upcoming French Open and Wimbledon.