Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard has stated that she has ‘no regrets’ about branding Maria Sharapova a cheater earlier this year.
During an interview with TRT World, Bouchard made headlines after saying that Sharapova shouldn’t be allowed to play against following her doping suspension. The former world No.1 was suspended from the sport for 15 months after testing positive for the banned substance Meldonium. Sharapova argued that she was unaware that the substance was made a prohibited drug by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on January 1st 2016. Her initial 24-month suspension was reduced after the Court of Arbitration for Sport concluded that she wasn’t an ‘intentional doper.’
“I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again… It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way.” Bouchard said in April.
Three months later and the world No.69 continues to stand by what she said. During an interview on Sportsnet’s Prime Time Sports, she maintains that she has no regrets over her previous comments.
“No, of course not. I got asked a question and I couldn’t answer it not honestly. For me, that’s how I try to be.” She said.
The frosty relationship between the two players was on display at the Madrid Open. In the second round of the tournament, Bouchard edged her way past the Russian in a close three-set encounter (7-5, 2-6, 6-4).
“I went out and once I got on the court, I put everything else to the side and I just wanted to play as well as I could. I definitely had a little bit of extra motivation to kind of do it for all of us who have been fair to the sport and who have played the sport the true way it’s meant to be played,” she recounted about their match.
Bouchard said following her win over Sharapova that she received messages of support from other players on the tour. Although the names of those were never disclosed by the Canadian.
A delicate subject
Since returning to the tour, Sharapova has split opinion in the world of tennis. Critics have hit out at tournaments deciding to give her a wildcard following her doping violation. Recently 18-time grand slam champion Chris Evert said she shouldn’t be granted a pass into the main draw at the US Open.
‘I don’t necessarily think that in the grand slams she should be given a wild card. No, I just think that if she enters qualifying she will get through the qualifying. It will help her in the main draw.’ She agued.
Sharapova, who missed out on a French Open wild card, continues to play in defiance. Currently she is playing in the WorldTeam Tennis tournament in America after missing the entire grass-court swing due to a thigh injury.
“I served the suspension period and I think there’s not much more that I could add to that,” Sharapova stated.
Since her comeback, Sharapova has won five out of eight matches played on the tour. Her best performance was reaching the quarter-finals in Stuttgart.
