Maria Sharapova’s road to Wimbledon starts at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix as she makes return from doping ban

Comeback: Sharapova could appear at both the French Open and Wimbledon
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Tom Dutton26 April 2017

Maria Sharapova makes her return to professional tennis following a doping ban on Wednesday with one eye on both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Sharapova has been granted wild card entry to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart and will face Italy's Roberta Vinci after 15 months away from the sport.

The 30-year-old was hit with a two-year ban after testing positive for heart-boosting drug meldonium, a suspension which was reduced by nine months on appeal.

Sharapova has also been given wild cards for tour events in Madrid and Rome next month and her first opponent is one of several people to speak out against her swift and straightforward reintroduction.

"I don't agree about the wild card [in Stuttgart] and about the wild card in Rome and the other tournaments," said Vinci.

The tournaments will give Sharapova the chance to attain the ranking points needed to reach both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Though the two-time French Open champion has missed qualification for the main draw at Roland Garros - and it appears unlikely she will be handed a wild card by the French Tennis Federation - she can earn a qualifying spot by reaching the final in Stuttgart later this month.

If all else fails, the FFT could still opt to grant Sharapova wild card entry to the main draw in Paris, though such a decision would be controversial and in this instance a qualifying invite is more likely.

Maria Sharapova - In pictures

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Any ranking points won in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome will all be earned before the May 22 deadline for Wimbledon entry, and one final spot or two semis will likely be enough to reach the preliminary week.

The Russian needs around 260 points to make Wimbledon qualifying, while just over 600 would see her guarantee a spot as one of the 128 competitors in the main ladies' singles event. A run to the final in Stuttgart would secure at least 305 points, but victory would be worth more to Sharapova in Rome and Madrid, where the overall winner gets 1,000 points.

If Sharapova only secures enough points to earn a Wimbledon qualifying spot, she would have to play three rounds at the Bank of England Sports Centre in Roehampton in the build-up Wimbledon to clinch her place in the main draw.

Maria Sharapova | Possible schedule

April
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart April 26 - 29
May
Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid May 5 - 12
Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome May 14 - 20
French Open, Paris May 22 - June 5
July
Wimbledon July 3 - 16

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