Maria Sharapova will celebrate the end of a 15-month doping ban with a return to the Madrid Masters in the first week of May, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The Russian, who won the title in 2014 from a set down against Simona Halep after losing the final a year before to Serena Williams, last played the event in 2015, reaching the semis.
Sharapova served a ban for taking a suddenly declared illegal medication which she had been on for a decade under doctor’s orders.
.@MariaSharapova to play in the #MMOPEN 2017 ????: https://t.co/R5GrN2US4I pic.twitter.com/PgyJZg4KXO
— Mutua Madrid Open (@MutuaMadridOpen) February 8, 2017
“Sharapova requested an invitation to play in the tournament and after considering it, we decide to give her a Wild Card,” tournament director Manolo Santana said. “Maria is one of the best players of the last 15 years and also a past winner of our tournament. In Madrid she always plays well and I’m sure she will come back to the courts highly motivated and hoping to do well in her first tournaments.”
“Sharapova is one of those players that all tennis fans want to see. Her presence in the Caja Mágica is great news for the tournament, for the fans and also for the city of Madrid.”
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