Maria Sharapova returned to competitive tennis this week after her 14-month doping suspension. Her first tournament back was the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, and she won her first three matches before losing in the semifinals.
Since her ranking wasn't protected during her suspension, Sharapova needed a wild card to get into the tournament, which will be the case at a number of events until she earns enough points to get her ranking back up. So, basically, her participation in tournaments is up to the organizers' discretion. And seeing as she's one of the biggest names in women's tennis, you can easily see why they'd want her in their tournaments.
This has generated a lot of resentment among other players. Eugenie Bouchard called her a "cheater," and she's just one of the many players that's spoken out against Sharapova. Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Roberta Vinci and Agnieszka Radwanska have also expressed their feelings on her return to the tour. Some feel she shouldn't be playing and there are probably those like Bouchard who will always look at her in a different way.
I'd imagine some of the unhappiness comes from the fact that she hasn't "earned" her way into Stuttgart and the other tournaments she's entered. Here's the thing, though, if she doesn't get wild cards, she can't enter tournaments. And if she can't enter tournaments, how's she supposed to get her ranking back up?!
Whatever you think about her or her suspension, Sharapova served her suspension and is completely entitled the opportunity to resume her career. Just like a player returning from injury would. If she needs a wild card to enter a tournament, so be it. Tournaments have wild cards for a reason, and they're allowed to give them to whoever they want for whatever reason. And it's not like the Wimbledon wild cards that go to all those British players that get blown out in the first round. This is Maria Freakin' Sharapova we're talking about!
There's another element of Sharapova's return that needs to be considered, too. She's a major draw. As evidence by the sellout for the first round of a mid-level tournament on a Tuesday in April. With all due respect to Kerber, who's No. 1 in the world, and Wozniacki (one of my favorite players) and the others, none of them are Maria Sharapova. And the WTA needs Maria Sharapova right now.
If you were to ask any casual sports fan to name an active women's tennis player, you're likely to get one of two names--Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova. And Serena's going to miss the rest of 2017 because she's pregnant. Her absence coincides with Sharapova's return, which is fortunate for the WTA. Because they really couldn't afford to be without both of their two biggest stars for an extended period. Especially at a time when men's tennis is thriving.
So, whether or not you agree with it, it makes total sense to give Maria Sharapova wild cards, at least right now. She's important for the game. Her legions of fans will come to tournaments and watch her play. TV networks (from all over the world) will be there to cover her return, bringing increased attention to these smaller events. (How many people would've even known there was a WTA tournament in Stuttgart this week if Sharapova wasn't playing in it?)
And you know something else? Maria Sharapova's a star for a reason. She isn't famous just because she's a tall, gorgeous Russian. She won Wimbledon at 17 and has a career grand slam, as well as an Olympic silver medal from 2012. When healthy, her ranking has consistently been in the top 10, and there's no reason to believe it won't be again. In fact, being forced to take more than a year off might've been the best thing for her now 30-year-old body. This break could've been a blessing in disguise. It might've lengthened her career.
With the WTA still looking for its next breakout star, the possibility of Maria Sharapova playing a few more things is definitely a good thing. Just like her returning to the game is. Like her or not, agree with it or not, Maria Sharapova returning is exactly what women's tennis needed right now. One of the biggest names in the game is back. And that's something worth embracing.
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