WTA boss defends decision
STUTTGART: Women’s Tennis Association Chief Executive Steve Simon has defended the wild-card entry awarded to former world No.1 Maria Sharapova for the Stuttgart Open following her 15-month doping ban.
While some say the five-time Grand Slam champion, initially banned for two years after testing positive for Meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, has done her time some fellow players are angry the red carpet is being rolled out.
Sharapova was scheduled to play Italian Roberta Vinci in the round of 32 of the Stuttgart Open late last night and Simon believes the ban was more extensive than previous offenders.
“You have to look at how other leagues and tours have handled players who have come back,” Simon told BBC Sport. “They come right back to the team and start playing.
“She is starting at ground zero. It is going to affect her seedings in big tournaments so she’s still going to pay a penalty for a while.
“If you think about it from other leagues, most of them [bans] are half of a season or a full season. She’s had a year and a half.”
Meanwhile Simona Halep and Alize Cornet joined the growing legion of players criticising tournament organisers for offering Sharapova a direct spot in their main draws.
“For the kids, for the young players, it is not OK to help with a wild card the player that was banned for doping,” said the fifthranked Halep, adding that “it is not about Maria Sharapova here, but it is about all the players that are found doped.”
“I cannot support what the tournament director did, but also I cannot judge,” said Halep, who is seeded fourth and was due to play Barbora Strycova in the second round.
Cornet went a step further in comments published by French sports daily L’Equipe.
“Generally speaking, I find it shameful that the WTA is promoting a player who tested positive after all. It’s normal that people talk about her, she’s an immense champion, but from there to promoting her return to such an extent... I find that unjust,” the 41st-ranked Frenchwoman said.