Sharapova waiting on French Open wildcard
Print Edition
MARIA Sharapova will know on May 16 if she will be granted a wildcard invitation for the French Open, the organizers of the May 28-June 11 claycourt grand slam tournament said yesterday.
“We will make our decision public on Facebook on May 16 at 1900 (local time),” French federation president Bernard Giudicelli told a news conference. “There is no reason why we should make an exception for Maria Sharapova. There is no reason why we should announce a wildcard before the others.”
Giudicelli said he will discuss the matter with tournament director Guy Forget on May 15.
Former world No. 1 Sharapova, 30, was returning to action yesterday — taking on Italy’s Roberta Vinci — from a 15-month doping ban after being awarded a wildcard for the Stuttgart claycourt tournament.
“The tournament is bigger than the players,” added Giudicelli, who said he would call Sharapova before the decision is made public.
With 23-time major champion American Serena Williams already out of the picture because she is expecting a child, the tournament would be deprived of the other big name of women’s tennis if organizers decided not to invite Sharapova, a two-time French Open champion.
Giudicelli, however, said this would not be a factor. “This is not a cast. This is not a rock opera,” he insisted.
Sharapova’s invitation for the Stuttgart tournament raised eyebrows in the tennis community, with Romanian Simona Halep, who was defeated by Sharapova in the 2014 French Open final, adding her voice of dissent on Tuesday, saying: “For the kids, for the young players, it is not OK to help with a wildcard the player that was banned for doping. It is not about Maria Sharapova here, but it is about all the players that are caught doping.”
Women’s Tennis Association chief Steve Simon defended Sharapova, saying the Russian does not need to be punished more. “You have to look at how other leagues and tours have handled players who have come back,” he told BBC Sport. “They come right back to the team and start playing.”
Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters also supported the decision to let Sharapova compete in the tournaments. “I was disappointed and surprised when the news came out but, having been on both sides of the spectrum as a tournament director and as a player, I don’t think she needs to be punished more,” the Belgian said.
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