Maria Sharapova's wildcard entry into the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, has been defended by WTA CEO Steve Simon, who said that it is in "keeping with how former dopers are treated in other sports," according to Russell Fuller of the BBC. Simon said, "You have to look at how other leagues and tours have handled players who have come back. They come right back to the team and start playing." Roberta Vinci, who is Sharapova's opponent for her comeback match today, "disagrees with the decision" of her return. Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki have also "questioned her presence at the tournament." Fuller noted Sharapova "does not have a world ranking after her points expired during her suspension." Simon: "She is starting at ground zero. It is going to affect her seedings in big tournaments so she's still going to pay a penalty for awhile. If you think about it from other leagues, most of them (bans) are half of a season or a full season. She's had a year and a half." Former player Kim Clijsters agreed with Simon, saying that Sharapova "has done her time and her punishment" (BBC.com, 4/25).
TOO SOON? In London, Paul Newman notes some top players "expressed their misgivings" on the eve of Sharapova's return. Simona Halep believes that the tournament’s award of a wild card to someone "suspended for a doping offence is a bad example to set to young players." Johanna Konta believes the WTA "needs to clarify its rule book on the whole issue of wild cards." The situation with Sharapova has "highlighted some grey areas" in the WTA's rule book. There is "no guidance on the issuing of wild cards to players returning from suspension and there has been nothing to stop the tournament including Sharapova in the field despite the fact that she was still banned at the start of the tournament." Angelique Kerber acknowledged that everything had been done within the rules but said that it "would be important to discuss the issues in the weeks and months ahead." Asked if she would be raising the issue personally with the WTA, Kerber said that she "had done so already" (London INDEPENDENT, 4/26).
CITY OF LOVE: The AP notes the French Open "will increase" its purse this year by 12%, with the men's and women's championship winning $2.28M (all figures U.S.) each, an increase of $108,870. French Open Tournament Dir Guy Forget said that the "total prize money" of about $39.2M is an increase of about $4.35M from last year (AP, 4/26). French Open organizers said that Sharapova will know on May 16 if she will be "granted a wildcard invitation" for the tournament that takes place from May 28-June 11 (REUTERS, 4/26).
