Maria Sharapova receives US Open wild card for first grand slam appearance since doping ban
Russian tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and was suspended by the International Tennis Federation until April
Five-time major champion Maria Sharapova of Russia will play her first grand slam since serving a 15-month doping suspension after receiving a wild card into the US Open.
The move by the US Tennis Association (USTA) comes after Sharapova, who is ranked 148th this week, was rejected for a wild card spot into the French Open and missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury.
Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and was suspended by the International Tennis Federation, a ban that ended in April.
Since then, Sharapova has needed wild cards to get into tournaments, drawing criticism from some fellow professionals.
“Her suspension under the terms of the tennis anti-doping programme was completed and therefore was not one of the factors weighed in our wild card selection process,” the USTA said.
“Consistent with past practice, a wild card was provided to a past US champion who needed the wild card for entry into the main draw.