Maria Sharapova is yet to return to the WTA Tour, but it hasn’t prevented her from making plans for the future according to her agent Max Eisenbud.
The former world No.1 is set to end her 15-month ban from the sport in April. Sharapova hasn’t played a competitive match since the 2016 Australian Open after testing positive for meldonium. Throughout the controversy, the Russian has insisted that she never intended to cheat and was unaware that Meldonium was added to the list of prohibited substances, which is has been since January 1st, 2016.
Due to her suspension, the five-time grand slam champion was ineligible to compete in last year’s Rio Olympic Games. Speaking exclusively to CNN, Eisenbud believes that if Sharapova wasn’t suspended, she would have ended her career this season. Instead, she plans to continue playing with the Tokyo 2020 games firmly on her mind.
“If (the suspension) didn’t happen, this probably would have been her last year,” Eisenbud told CNN. “I think she’ll play through Tokyo.”
Sharapova’s only Olympic experience occurred in London 2012 when she won the silver medal after being crushed 6-0, 6-1, by Serena Williams in the final. Since the reintroduction of tennis at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Russia has never won a gold medal in the singles.
The Stuttgart comeback
With the Tokyo Games three years away, Sharapova’s immediate focus is on next month’s Stuttgart Open, where she will return to the tour. Her agent has claimed ‘every WTA tournament’ has contacted him about rewarding her a wild card. The Russian currently has passes for events in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.
The return of Sharapova isn’t without controversy. In Stuttgart she has been allowed to play her first match on the Wednesday, the same day her ban ends. Germany’s Angelique Kerber has described the situation as ‘strange’ and express concern over awarding the wildcard to a player convicted of a doping offence and not a German player. The controversy has drawn a defiant response from the tournament director, Markus Gunthardt.
“She has made a mistake, she admitted and received her punishment,” Gunthardt told Sport 1. “Maria is one of the most popular players in the world, Making the tournament even more popular.”
It remains to be seen how Sharapova’s form will hold up following her lengthy absence. Few have seen her train, but Eisenbud believes she has the ability to rise to the top again.
“I watched her practice last week and I was like, it’s a joke just how motivated and how good she was.” He said.
Sharapova will return to the tour on April 26th.
