Sharapova snubbed by French Open

Two-time former champion Maria Sharapova has been snubbed by French Open organisers, who opted against handing the Russian a wildcard into this month’s clay court grand slam.

The 30-year-old, who returned from a 15-month doping ban last month, had been expected to be fast-tracked into the qualifying competition for a tournament already without a host of leading players including Serena Williams.

However, French Tennis Federation (FFT) President Bernard Giudicelli announced that the 2012 and 2014 champion would play no part in this year’s tournament which starts later this month.

“You can get a wild card when you return from injury but you cannot get a wild card when returning from a doping suspension,” Giudicelli said.

“I appreciate the media impact of Maria, I appreciate the broadcasters’ expectations but in conscience, it was not possible to go beyond the anti-doping code and beyond the application of the rules.

Related: What now for Maria Sharapova?

“She might be very disappointed, but it’s my responsibility to protect the game.”

On a bitterly disappointing day for the 30-year-old, she was later forced to retire from her Italian Open second round match against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

Sharapova had needed to reach the semi-finals in Rome to avoid needing a wildcard for the Wimbledon main draw.

However, her first round win against American Christina McHale in Rome means that her ranking will rise back inside the world’s top 200 just in time to be guaranteed a place in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament.

A decision as to whether she is granted a main draw spot will be taken on June 20.

But despite a semi-final run in Stuttgart in her first tournament earlier this month, her ranking, now at 211, was not high enough for her to gain an automatic place for Roland Garros, leaving the FFT with an awkward decision to make.

The news will be a big blow to former world No.1 Sharapova.

She had said she would “play the junior competition” if it meant she could compete at the French Open – a tournament that has provided some of her greatest career moments.

Related: Roger Federer to miss French Open

Sharapova rocked the tennis world when she announced last year that she had tested positive for heart drug meldonium at the Australian Open after failing to realise it had been added to WADA’s list of banned substances.

She had taken it for medical reasons for most of her career.

Sharapova’s return has been dogged by criticism with several leading players voicing their disapproval at the decision of WTA tournament organisers in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome to grant her a wildcard for those tournaments.