What’s the story?
Former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova has recently made a comeback to tennis in a big way after serving out a 15-month drug ban, and now finds herself in the quarter-finals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
Speaking out about the meldonium controversy that resulted in the ban, Sharapova was asked by a reporter what she was doing to replace her medication, to which she responded that she was “consulting her orthopaedic doctor.”
In Case You Didn’t Know...
Sharapova tested positive for banned substance meldonium following her 2016 Australian Open match against eventual runner-up Maria Sharapova. In her plea appeal, the Russian said she has been suffering from a long-term heart-condition, which caused her need for the medication.
After appealing what could have been a maximum four-year ban, Sharapova’s time away from the sport was reduced to a total of 15 months. Spending that time practising and working on her candy line, Sugarpova, Sharapova hasnow returned and the Russian is now receiving wildcards to a number of tournaments, among them potentially the French Open.
Heart of the Matter
Sharapova was banned in 2016 after testing positive for meldonium, a prohibited substance under WADA regulations. At the time, the Russian player said she had been taking the medication for a long-term heart condition, and had been unaware that meldonium had been added to the WADA list – the substance is a relatively new addition to the WADA ban list, making it on in 2015, a fact Sharapova says she was not aware of, having missed several WADA reminders and emails.
Now, a reporter at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix asked her what she would be doing to mitigate that illness given that meldonium was now banned. Saying the information was confidential between the WTA and her “orthopaedic doctor,” Sharapova drew eyeballs after having adhered to having a heart condition that necessitated the use of meldonium.
The issue casts further shadows around Sharapova’s ban; already declared a “doper” by some tennis fans, the Russian 5-time Major winner was believed by many to have been feigning a heart condition. Her slip-up will no doubt draw more suspicion towards the authenticity of the appeal.
What’s Next?
Ban and substance use aside, Sharapova is no doubt a skilled, and hard-working player; the 30-year-old’s comeback is evidence enough of her vaunted return. With the absence of her biggest rival, World No. 1 Serena Williams, and a series of struggling performances from her other contemporaries, Sharapova could well move quickly up the rankings again on her own merit.
As it currently stands, she is two wins away from securing a spot in qualifiers for the French Open.
