The sport of tennis "at this time" needs Maria Sharapova "almost as badly as she needs tennis," as the women's game is "desperately seeking an injection of star power," according to Gaurav Kalra of the ECONOMIC TIMES. Serena Williams will not play "for the rest of the year" as she is pregnant, and other players such as Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova, Garbiñe Muguruza and Agnieszka Radwanska have been "unable to break away from the pack to build a fan following." But the return of 30-year-old Sharapova comes off to some as a "desperate ploy to ensure the women's circuit retains its appeal among fans" (ECONOMIC TIMES, 4/28). TENNIS.com's Nina Pantic wrote it is "hard to ignore that her comeback is a huge boost to the game -- just one look at Wednesday's sold-out crowd in Stuttgart confirmed that." The WTA is "all but begging for fresh star power" (TENNIS, 4/27). In N.Y., Charly Wilder wrote despite the "hovering cloud of controversy, Sharapova's return no doubt comes as a relief to a women's tour reeling" from the news of Williams' pregnancy, as Williams is "perhaps the only player capable of drawing bigger crowds than Sharapova" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/27).
NO SUBSTITUTE: WTA Stuttgart Open Dir Markus Guenthardt said that Sharapova was given a wildcard entry to the event because the Court of Arbitration for Sport "clearly stated she's not an intentional doper." ("Porsche Tennis Grand Prix," beIN Sports, 4/26).
BIG BUSINESS: ESPN's J.A. Adande noted the Stuttgart Open officials are running a "business -- it's not just athletic competition -- so you want to sell tickets and generate attention." Adande: "Why not have one of the biggest names in your sport involved, especially at a time when Serena Williams is out while she's pregnant?" The Colorado Spring Gazette's Woody Paige: "You have to realize what was going on with this tournament. It is sponsored by Porsche. Her No. 1 sponsor is Porsche. They were going to do everything they could to let her come back for that" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 4/27).
