French Open reluctant to give Sharapova a wild card

TIL Desk Sports/ Newly-elected president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), Bernard Giudicelli, has indicated that they are reluctant to hand Maria Sharapova a wild card entry for this year’s Grand Slam tournament despite the embattled Russian tennis star returning from a doping ban.

Sharapova, who was handed over a 15-month suspension after being tested positive for banned substance meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, will make her return to competitive tennis at the WTA Tour clay-court tournament in Stuttgart Open beginning on April 26.

However, the French Open chief said the organization has not determined whether to give the Russian player a wild card which she would require as her world ranking has almost disappeared during her absence. “It’s complicated. We prefer that she returns completely rehabilitated. Integrity is one of our strong points. We cannot decide, on the one hand, to increase the amount of funds we dedicate to the anti-doping battle and, on the other, invite her,”