Brushing aside tennis ban, Sharapova returns to winning ways

STUTTGART – After defeating Roberta Vinci on Wednesday night (Apr 26) at the Porsche Arena, Maria Sharapova declared that it was a moment she had been waiting a long time for.

Fifteen months, to be exact, having been handed a doping ban after testing positive for meldonium at last year’s Australian Open.

During that time, she put her racquet away, attended a business course at Harvard and grew her Sugarpova candy line business, among other personal pursuits.

But she also admitted after her 7-5, 6-3 victory in the first round of the Porsche Grand Prix that she missed the game.

“I love being in situations where I have to figure out a way how to get through it and how to win… it’s (like) a jigsaw puzzle and I missed that feeling,” said the 30-year-old, who first picked up a racquet at four.

“I was really happy when I woke up this morning and I was smiling and excited about the opportunity of coming on site and practising, and then going and playing a match – something I have done for so many years in my career.

“I didn’t know what to expect but I knew that being out there was what I (was) meant to be doing.”

A five-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 1, the Russian knows how to win too, even when things get tough.

There were unforced return errors and over-hit forehands and general rustiness, but Sharapova then showed her grit when it mattered on then indoor clay court.

At 5-4 down in the first set, she dug deep to save set-point before geeing herself up with a “come on” after levelling the scores.

“It was my first match in a while, but because you’ve done it for so long, you try to block everything out and you (just) compete,” she explained.

“I am a competitor by nature, even when things are not working. That is what I do, that’s when I am at my best – when I forget everything (else) and just compete.”

Sharapova went on to win the next two games to take the first set and from there, Vinci was powerless to resist an opponent she had never beaten before.

“She was back after a long time, but it was not through injury,” the Italian world No 36 said.

“She played really, really good (tennis), a high level and very focused... she deserved to win.”

Firing off a tournament-leading 10 aces, Sharapova swiftly closed out the match before letting out a victory shriek, clenching both fists as relief and joy poured out. She then blew kisses in all four directions of the arena, then continued to fist pump while walking back to her bench.

UNRUFFLED

But Sharapova, who won this tournament from 2012 to 2014, does not harbour any resentment towards the length of the ban, which she had successfully appealed to get reduced from the original 24-month sentence.

“I’m not an individual that is angry or bitter,” she insisted.

“I let things go pretty quickly and I move on to the next stage.”

Neither does she care about the debate over the manner of her return.

Unranked as a result of her ban, Sharapova was handed wildcards to this tournament in Stuttgart and the upcoming ones in Madrid and Rome, so that she would not have to play the qualifiers.

It is a move that appears to have drawn mostly fierce criticism from the tennis community, where many reckon that someone who found to have doped does not need, or deserve, such help.

“I can’t control what people say and I never have – the only thing I can control is what I do out there and those are my words,” she said.

“I’m always prepared to walk the walk and I’ve done that by winning five Grand Slams and being No 1 in the world.

“I’ve been offered wildcards… and I’m accepting them to be able to compete in the draw.

“I’m not getting a wildcard to receive a trophy or a golden platter. I have to get through the matches and I still have to win – and that’s my job.”

She is prepared to “play in the juniors” if she has to in order to play at the French Open at Roland Garros, where a wildcard decision on her is expected to be made next month, which she will respect even if it’s not granted.

If Sharapova makes the final in Stuttgart, she will qualify to play the French Open qualifying round on merit.

Going through the qualifiers, instead of being a wildcard to compete at a Major, will likely earn her some respect back from fellow players, some of whom have spoken against her return strongly.

But again, Sharapova, who has never been a popular figure amongst her peers, does not see the need to build better relationships in the locker room.

“(For them) to have nicer things to say about me in press conferences? What will that change to my tennis?” she fired.

“Actually, I don’t spend too much time there (locker room). I do my job and my job consists of practising and I go in there, I take a nice bath, 10 to 15 minutes, and I‘ll change, get my stuff and I’m out of there. So, that’s not very impactful in my life.

“I have a great amount of friends at home, all over the world, whom I speak to – those (are the) friendships really matter to me, with my family and my friends.”

One gets the sense that the other players are tired of the attention surrounding Sharapova’s return and Johanna Konta, the world no. 7 who played earlier in the day before the Russian, said as much.

“Hopefully, the tennis world can move on from the drama (now)...and focus on the tennis again,” the Brit said.

That is exactly what Sharapova, who has a genuine chance to shine again, particularly with the absence of Serena Williams, aims to do.

“At the end of the day, what matters is (winning) on the court - and that’s why I’m here.”