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Maria Sharapova makes emotional return after doping ban

Maria Sharapova answers her critics with a winning return from a doping ban.

Maria Sharapova answers her critics with a winning return from a doping ban. Photo: Getty

Maria Sharapova made an emotional return to tennis from a 15-month doping ban with a hard-fought straight sets win over Roberta Vinci in the first round of the Stuttgart Grand Prix.

Sharapova received a lukewarm welcome Thursday morning (AEST) as she made her way on to the court, with the 4500 spectators at the sold-out arena offering only polite applause and some whistling.

The 30-year-old Russian has been criticised in recent weeks for being handed a controversial wild card for the German tournament, having had no ranking points after more than a year out following her suspension for banned substances.

She was dismissed the comments of her fellow players in her post-match press conference, saying she’s not looking to make friends in the locker room.

Sharapova made a nervous start on Wednesday but quickly found her strokes, and her trademark shrieks, to power past the 36th-ranked Italian 7-5, 6-3 and set up a second-round clash against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

“It’s the best feeling in the world. To know I would be walking back into the arena was very special,” Sharapova said in a courtside interview. “I was waiting for this moment for a long time.”

“It’s important to play, points, games, sets,” she said. “It is a journey that officially starts today and I look forward to playing as many matches as I can.”

Vinci, the 2015 US Open runner-up, was one of several players who voiced her opposition to Sharapova’s invitation to Stuttgart.

“She is of course a great player, I have nothing against her, she said before the match.

“She made her mistakes for sure, but she paid and I think she can return to play – but without any wildcards.”

She’s a ‘cheater’

Wimbledon winner Eugenie Bouchard was even more critical of the ban, saying Sharapova was a “cheater” and deserved to be banned for life.

“She’s a cheater and I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again. It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and are true,” Bouchard told Turkey’s TRT World.

“I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids — ‘cheat and we’ll welcome you back with open arms’. I don’t think that’s right.

“[She’s] definitely not someone I can say I look up to anymore.”

Sharapova has also received invitations to play in Madrid and Rome, and will find out in May whether she will be given a wild card for the French Open.

The 30-year-old had a two-year suspension reduced to 15 months after she tested positive at the 2016 Australian Open for meldonium, a medication she had been regularly taking within the rules but which had been reclassified as a banned drug. 

Not about making friends

Eugenie Bouchard during her win over Ana Ivanovic.

Eugenie Bouchard said Sharapova should be banned for life. Photo: Getty

Speaking in her post-match press conference, Sharapova said she did not see the point in becoming friends with her peers.

“In order to do what? To have nicer things to say about me in press conferences? What will that change to my tennis?” she said after being asked if she would try to mend fences with her fellow players.

“I don’t spend too much time there [in the locker room]. I do my job and my job consists of practising — I’ll go in there and take an ice bath. It’s like 10-15 minutes.

“I’ll change, Ill get my stuff and I’m out of there, so that’s not very impactful in my life.

“I have a great amount of friends at home and all over the world that I speak to. Those matter to me, those friendships really matter to me.”

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