'Eligible to accept wildcard': WTA posts statement explaining rules behind Maria Sharapova’s return

Maria Sharapova’s swift return to international tennis following a 15-month suspension for a drug violation, slated for April at Stuttgart thanks to a wildcard, hasn’t gone down very well with many of her colleagues on the tennis court.

Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfreid Tsonga are among the big names who were vocal about the issues they had with the red carpet that was being laid out for the Russian star who was suspended due to the use of meldonium, a prohibited drug, during the 2016 Australian Open.

As many players spoke out against the supposed simple entry back – with the help of wildcards at top tournaments – the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has sought to clarify the regulations behind her return.

On Monday, WTA posted a statement titled ‘Wildcard and Suspension rules explained’ on their website, which elaborated the WTA and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) rules that allowed former World No 1 Maria Sharapova to return to action. The message was clear – there are special favours granted and that she is playing by the rules.

“As both a former Grand Slam champion and WTA Finals winner, Sharapova may request and receive an unlimited number of wildcard nominations,” read the release on WTA’s website.

“In compliance with WTA and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme rules, Sharapova can participate in a tournament in the week that her suspension ends, providing that the first match that she is scheduled to contest takes place on or after the day on which she is eligible to return to competition,” the statement continued.

One of the many reasons her fellow players were incensed about her wildcard return is the fact that the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will already be underway during Sharapova’s suspension period, and the Russian will walk in to competitive tennis almost at once.

However, WTA has asserted that since “first round action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix commonly takes place over three days, therefore the former World No 1 is eligible to accept the wild card she has been offered.”

The 29-year-old Sharapova already has wildcards for the tournaments in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome, and is hoping to get one for the French Open, the first Grand Slam after return, as well.