Sharapova’s return steals spotlight at US Open
New York, Aug. 28: Former world number one Maria Sharapova plays her first Grand Slam match since serving a 15month doping suspension when she faces secondranked Simona Halep in Monday’s US Open night feature match.
Wimbledon winner Garbine Muguruza, seventime Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and German fourth seed Alexander Zverev were also set to appear as play began in Arthur Ashe Stadium on the 20th anniversary of the world’s largest tennis venue.
But Sharapova’s tale of comeback and controversy will swipe the Broadway spotlight.
“I don’t think any tennis fan in the world is not going to have that match tournaments and not help that much sometimes,” Spanish third seed Muguruza said Saturday. “You’ve got to work hard and deserve it again. I think that’s the way.”
The French Open denied her a wild card and she missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury, setting the stage for a US Open wildcard organisers defended by saying she was being treated like several past US Open champions.
“Her suspension under the terms of the tennis anti-doping programme was completed and therefore was not one of the factors weighed in our wildcard selection process,” the USTA said. “Consistent with past practice, a wild card was provided to a past US champion who needed it for entry into the main draw.” — AFP