Sharapova doesn't earn French Open wild card
PARIS (AP) — 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 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 told Sharapova of his ruling during a phone call on Tuesday.
The French Open begins May 28.
Three other tournaments, including the Italian Open this week, have given her wild cards since her suspension ended last month.
"While there can be a wild card for return from injury, there can't be a wild card for return from doping," Giudicelli said.
A tournament may 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 The 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 is a two-time champion at Roland Garros, 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 newly banned heart drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January 2016.
Giudicelli acknowledged that plenty of fans would have wanted to see Sharapova play in Paris, where the French Open starts May 28.
"I read the results of several polls and I could see that about twothirds were in favor of Maria being granted a wild card. Of course I felt some pressure," he said.
"We did not want to treat Maria Sharapova differently."