Not so wild about Sharapova

REMEMBER when Maria Sharapova appeared to show remorse and contrition for her positive drugs test? What a performance that was. Some think she has been harshly treated, and they are probably right. She should have been nominated at the Oscars. In Stuttgart last week, the mask slipped. Sneering at journalists reporting her comeback; refusing to answer legitimate questions; expressing shock that she should be grilled at all. She wouldn’t say whether she was taking a replacement for the banned substance meldonium, and when asked if her backroom staff were upset that she had kept its use from them, she snapped: ‘That’s such an inappropriate question.’ No, it isn’t. Like the one about the meldonium substitute, it is absolutely on point. If Sharapova had nothing to hide, why wouldn’t she tell her staff about a supplement she was taking? And if her use of it was so vital, surely it would be dangerous if not replaced? Perhaps the most telling comment of the week, however, was made by Steve Simon, chief executive of the WTA. ‘Maria is a star,’ he said, justifying her wildcard return. ‘There are people on all sides of the fence, but it’s a great story.’ Really? A great story? Maybe those not testing positive should spice it up, start whacking the meldonium, too. You know, do the sport a favour, add to the narrative. Now, following elimination by Kristina Mladenovic in the Stuttgart semi-final, Sharapova needs a wildcard to compete at the French Open. Will the organisers service their sport, or just the headline writers? We wait with interest.