France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has become the latest player to voice his opposition to Maria Sharapova being awarded a wild card into the French Open.
The former world No.1 will end her 15-month suspension from the tour next month. Sharapova has been suspended from the sport since the 2016 Australian Open after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. Throughout the suspension the Russian has insisted that she was unaware that Meldonium became a prohibited substance, successfully appealing for a reduction of her ban from 24 to 15 months.
Poised to return to action at the Stuttgart Open, where she has been awarded a wild card, there is growing uncertainty over her French Open presence. Bernard Giudicelli, the newly elected head of the French Tennis Federation, recently told reporters that Roland Garros was unsure about awarding a pass to a player who has been convicted of a doping offence.
“It’s complicated. We prefer that she returns completely rehabilitated,” said Giudicelli.
“Integrity is one of our strong points. We cannot decide, on the one hand, to increase the amount of funds we dedicate to the anti-doping battle and, on the other, invite her.”
Muscling in on the debate is France’s highest ranked player Tsonga. Speaking about Sharapova in Indian Wells, the world No.8 believes her presence in the French Open via a wild card would send the wrong signal in the fight against doping in sport.
“I do not think it makes any sense for Maria to have a wild card. Honestly, offering you an invitation right now will be like giving a candy to a child who has misbehaved,” he was quoted by as saying by bolamarela.pt.
A former grand slam champion and world No.1, Sharapova is eligible for as many wild cards as she would like under WTA rules. So far tournaments in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome has handed her entry into their events.
Tsonga is not alone in voicing his opposition. Angelique Kerber has described Sharapova’s Stuttgart comeback as a ‘strange situation.’ The tournament has agreed to allow the former champion to play her first match on the Wednesday, the first day she is eligible for competition.
Kerber — its “strange” that Sharapova can play Stuttgart though under suspension at start of event, a German won’t get wc since she got it.
— Kamakshi Tandon (@Kamakshi_Tandon) 9 March 2017
Sharapova is set to meet with French Open officials shortly to present her case for a wild card before any decision is made. It is unclear when the meeting will take place.
