No French Open For Maria Sharapova

(ATR) French Open organizers deny Maria Sharapova a chance to play in the tournament later this month, saying "there cannot be a wildcard for the return from doping".

So said French Tennis Federation (FFT) president Bernard Giudicelli Ferrandini, as he announced the decision live on Facebook on Tuesday.

He says wildcards can be used for players returning from injuries but not those who are coming off a doping ban.

"I'm very sorry for Maria, very sorry for her fans," Giudicelli Ferrandini said. "They might be very disappointed, she might be very disappointed, but it's my responsibility, my mission, to protect the high standards of the game played without any doubt on the result."

The 30-year-old Sharapova is a former world number one and owner of five career Grand Slam titles, including the French Open in 2012 and 2014. She tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January of 2016. The International Tennis Federation suspended her for two years but her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport saw her ban reduced to 15 months.

She completed serving her ban on April 26 but has not accrued enough ranking points to be eligible for either the main draw or qualifying for Roland Garros. Her only chance to play was to be given a wildcard.

Sharapova was given wildcards to enter tournaments in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome since her return last month. Some fans and fellow players are not happy that she is receiving them into the main draw, which allows her to bypass qualifying. Essentially, she is getting the same treatment as a player returning from a long-term injury.

Clearly, French Open organizers agree with that sentiment and have decided the British bookmakers’ second favorite for this year’s French Open won’t be eligible to play in it.

Sharapova did guarantee herself a place in Wimbledon qualifying with a first round win at the Italian Open on Monday. If she makes a deep run in Rome she could earn a place in the main draw.

Written by Gerard Farek

For general comments or questions,click here.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.