"I’m not an individual that’s angry or bitter; it was very liberating" - When Maria Sharapova opened up on making the best of her doping suspension

Maria Sharapova once opened up about making good use of her 15-month doping suspension to broaden her horizons.

Sharapova garnered attention for all the wrong reasons at the start of 2016, testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open. The drug had been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances on January 1 of that year.

The Russian was initially handed a two-year doping suspension by the International Tennis Federation. However, her suspension was reduced to 15 months after she appealed her case to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.

Maria Sharapova's ban concluded in April 2017, and she immediately received a wildcard entry to the main draw of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The five-time Grand Slam champion showed no signs of rust on her return, beating Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-3 in her opening match.

The Russian exulted in her triumphant return to the court after her extended absence, expressing delight at being able to enjoy the comeback moment she had been waiting for.

"It’s the best feeling in the world. Those first few seconds before you enter the arena — it’s been a stage of mine since I was a young girl and to know that I’d be walking back on it was really special. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time," Maria Sharapova said in her on-court interview.

The five-time Grand Slam champion also asserted that she harbored no anger or bitterness over her 15-month suspension.

She emphasized that the time off had been extremely productive and "liberating," as it allowed her to engage in studies, work and business endeavors that she may not have had the chance to pursue otherwise.

"I’m not an individual that’s angry or bitter, and over the past many months I was very much present in my life. There are a lot of things that I probably would have never done in my 20s. I was studying, I was working, I was learning, growing my business," she said (via the New York Times).

"And as a woman, as a 29-year-old, it was very liberating. So, was it the way I wanted to experience those things? Absolutely not, but I had the opportunity and I did," she added.

"I can’t control what people say" - Maria Sharapova dismissed fellow players' criticism about her Stuttgart wildcard after doping suspension

Maria Sharapova's wildcard entry at the 2017 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart was met with pushback from her peers. Caroline Wozniacki deemed it "disrespectful" to the other players, while Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska also raised their objections.

Simona Halep joined in, airing her grievances with the tournament director's decision to award the Russian a wildcard after her doping suspension and arguing that it set a bad example for younger players.

"For the kids, for the young players, it is not okay to help a player with a wild card who was banned for doping. It is not about Maria Sharapova here, but it is about all the players that are found doped. I cannot support what the tournament director did, but also, I cannot judge," Halep said.

However, Maria Sharapova dismissed the criticism, asserting that she couldn't control other people's opinions. She also pointed out that a wildcard only awarded her entry to the tournament and not a guaranteed title.

"I can’t control what people say, and I never have. The only thing I can control is what I do out there. I’ve always preferred to walk the walk, and I’ve done that by winning five Grand Slams and being No. 1 in the world," Maria Sharapova said.

"I’m being offered wild cards by the tournament directors, and I’m accepting them to be able to compete in the draw. I’m not receiving a wild card to receive a trophy and a golden platter," she added.