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Apr/17

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Sharapova Return Triggers Angry Response From WTA Players

89 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios

1000061_10151550530367753_1846783606_nMaria Sharapova made her long-awaited return to pro tennis today in Stuttgart, Germany with an impressive 75 63 win over Roberta Vinci after a one year doping ban for using the now illegal drug/medication meldonium.

But several WTA players criticized the decision to allow the five-time Grand Slam major champion and former world no. 1 Sharapova to compete this week on the WTA circuit in Germany.

“For the kids, for the young players, it is not okay to help with a wildcard the player that was banned for doping,” said Simona Halep, the world no. 5 ranked player. “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.”

Alize Cornet of France spoke on the matter with a little less diplomacy. “Generally speaking, I find it shameful that the WTA is promoting a player who tested positive after all. It’s normal that people talk about her. She’s an immense champion. But from there to promoting her return to such an extent – I find that unjust,” said Cornet, who is ranked no. 41 in the world. “A player who has tested positive should start from scratch like everyone else and win her place back. You shouldn’t roll out the red carpet for her.”

Cornet feels strongly that Sharapova should not be given a wildcard into the 2017 Roland Garros main draw. “I hope that President Bernard Guidicelli (French Tennis Federation) holds firm on what he initially said and doesn’t offer her a wildcard for Roland Garros.”

Besides Cornet, Vinci and Halep, several other players opposed wildcards for players returning to competition after serving a doping ban, including Caroline Wozniacki, Dominika Cibulkova, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Angelique Kerber.

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89 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 26, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    Sharapova looked very strong today. Even better than I remember. Very quick, alert, intense, very passionate and highly motivated. You could tell her competitive spirit is as inspired as ever. She really loves to play tennis and wants to keep playing. She also seems to have a big chip on her shoulder to lay some beatdowns on the players who spoke out against her behind her back. Going to be very interesting to see her matches.

  • Andrew Miller · April 26, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    Yeah but do these players prefer to face Sharpie in rd 1? Or if she played challengers, I mean woe to her poor opponent for drawing Sharpie. Cornet’s best bet is to let her racquet do the talking. Sharpie isn’t Wayne Odesnik, who got caught twice using a far more serious drug. Her crime is almost n/a and she was stupid to use the ridiculous drug that probably shortened her life. As for a player with no friends on tour that’s Sharapova. But it’s obvious that with Sharpie and Azarenka returning the window for Kerber to grab another slam is slamming shut and Wozniaki’s slam window might be closing soon too.

    With Serena Williams out the field belongs to Konta, Venus Williams, Sharapova and Azarenka as far as I can tell, just thinking about the favorites. Maybe I love Lucy Safarova can will herself to something. Muguruza I don’t think has much left with her game off a good 20 percent from prime time. And sorry to say but Coco might be seeing a tougher road too as those two girls just don’t quit out there.

  • Andrew Miller · April 26, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    As for drugs on tour obviously I’m totally against it. But to me Sharpie did the crime and the time. Welcome back Sharpie!

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 26, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    It’s a positive thing to have an all time great champion back but the WTA players feel she should have to come back the hard way and earn it. As in rebuilding her ranking in the little events without any special favors or privileges such as a wildcard into a big event like Stuttgart. Business-wise it makes sense to red carpet Maria back to a key WTA tournament like Stuttgart. It guarantees tremendous media coverage and exposure for the event and the tour and the sponsors. To force Sharapova to “rough it” by having her play tiny, minor league ITF events would be silly and stupid. Those little ITF events are just not equipped for huge media exposure or huge crowds. The reality is that Sharapova’s comeback benefits everyone in tennis including the players who are complaining.

  • Hartt · April 26, 2017 at 10:48 pm

    Re players with potential to win a Slam – Kvitiova put her name in for RG but it sounds like she could be back for the grass court season if she feels she might be ready for RG. Ka Pliskova is a real possibility for a Slam.

  • Andrew Miller · April 26, 2017 at 11:50 pm

    I think the players want it both ways, they want to blast Sharpie without playing her, and they want her to play her way back without any deference to her status. Sorry to say that makes zero sense, having Sharapova play qualies just destroys another player goal of making the tournament, same for putting her in challengers where she would run roughshod over the competition. If they seed her it’s as if she pays no penalty at all. And if they wildcard her but don’t seed her the seeds get her in rd 1.

    So the remarks make no sense. Players have had what, a year without Sharapova to take advantage if her absence and if they haven’t made the most of it, that one is on them. Like it or not Sharpie did the crime and served the time and she is back ready to prove something. The rest of her career may be months or a year or several years, but don’t think she isn’t one hundred percent aware that she can grab another slam and redeem her name.

    I think Cornet who is one of my favorite players is standing on thin ice. I’m not a huge Sharpie fan, but I don’t see things as unfair, Sharpie wasn’t on tour for a while now. If they haven’t made their move since then they will have a tougher road now.

  • Andrew Miller · April 26, 2017 at 11:52 pm

    Hartt I keep forgetting about Plisko and Kvitova.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:11 am

    Andrew –
    Totally with you there. Maria’s not suddenly going to disappear again. She’s done her time.
    I’m disappointed at some of the players’ comments – although I know the media provoke them. Makes women seem bitchy (yes) and unforgiving.
    Whatever happened to Christian qualities of charity and redemption? Some of the players are practising Christians of various kinds – and Simona says, rightly,’I cannot judge’ – so why is she saying the other stuff ?
    How long are they going to keep up this sniping ?
    It’s going to generate sympathy for Maria if they’re not careful.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:24 am

    And how Genie Bouchard has the nerve to start bleating now about Sharapova takes my breath away. It really does.

    No one would cross the road to watch Bouchard play these days.

  • Hartt · April 27, 2017 at 8:13 am

    Regarding Genie Bouchard, I just read an excellent piece about her on the blog Tennis.Life, “Bouchard’s big slump a series of unfortunate events.” (April 25) Written by Stephanie Myles, who has closely followed Genie’s career, it is comprehensive and fair, outlining the many different factors involved in her slump, some within Bouchard’s control and some not.

    One thing that Myles mentions is the effect of experienced trainer Scott Byrnes leaving the team. Genie ended up having a variety of trainers or, at times, no trainer at all. Myles also wrote that Hogstedt is not available for all the tourneys but will be with her at the upcoming ones, so hopefully that will make a difference.

    Myles ends the piece with: “Only time will tell if Bouchard has the desire, the toughness, the dedication and the tunnel vision to reclaim ownership of it (her career)”

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 9:08 am

    Hartt, thankful you mentioned the holes in her team, which shows up as inconsistencies in her game. Critical personnel can rattle players, even if sometimes coaches aren’t the right fit the supporting cast such as hitting partners can help players establish a proper routine. Fair or not like Myles said this goes back to Bouchard, maybe the unspoken element: Cash. Does she pay enough?

    That might be why players train down in Florida or with Bolletieri or a few charlatans down there (sorry for the put down, hit harder!!!). They have other players and can easily plug into training, but I doubt it’s customized to player needs.

    Different top players like Federer and Nadal basically “import” their hitting partners to work their arses off. It might ruin careers like Jessie Levine or reboost them like Tsonga, id guess it has more to do with players not falling into the I’m helping Roger out trap and working on their weaknesses too.

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 9:13 am

    Catherine isn’t it players just being competitive? This works both ways. If it’s the Italians they compete fiercely against each other and go more the three musketeers route, one players success points the wauly forward for another and another unless their name is Camilla Giorgi. But if you are Cornet you probably will face tougher competition in earlier rounds and more than likely lose tens of thousands of bucks in prize money.

    Someone on the TP board said watch the money. Players to me say a lot of things and rarely talk about sponsor cash and fees and getting paid. But this is a tour where higher rankings come with more money. So if there’s Sharpie sniping isn’t this about player fear of losing money? Not like Cornet is in the winners circle that often…

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 9:22 am

    The more these players talk bad about Sharapova the more fuel it is to the fire – Sharapova now has EXTRA incentive to put beatdowns on her critics which would prove the whole meldonium thing was just a political farce anyway – Hell hath no fury like the wrath of the scorned woman!

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Question: if Sharapova knew that Meldonium was illegal and took it intentionally to seek an advantage at the Australian Open, then why not ask for a “therapeutic use exemption” rather than to risk one’s career in the delusional hope you’d never be tested?

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 9:52 am

    Scoop –
    Yes – players aren’t using the right psychology 🙂

    Andrew –
    The money’s important but I think the spite directed to Sharpie comes a lot from dislike of her as a person – which in turn comes from the perception of her as someone who remains aloof by choice, just doesn’t want to socialise and simply isn’t that interested in her peers.
    Which is probably true.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 9:57 am

    Scoop –

    I think it was a big **** up on Maria’s part. She didn’t check properly, was bit complacent and maybe doesn’t or didn’t have the best people around her.

    Of course if she comes back as strong as before we might wonder why she was taking it in the first place as a PED since she’s been drug free for 15 months.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 10:31 am

    “The princess has few real friends”

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 10:39 am

    Catherine: What I find curious is that players are allowed to use illegal drugs if they can get the therapeutic use exemption – It’s curious why Sharapova did not seek to get a TUE after the fact – There are a lot of players using illegal performance enhancing drugs via the TUE – the hacked emails revealed this dirty secret – this dirty secret was not voluntarily presented by the authorities if you remember –

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 10:48 am

    Not sure if you can get a TUE after the fact ? There’s a big brouhaha in British cycling about this, asthma drugs etc. Someone suggested the cyclist involved should have competed in the para-olympics if he was that disabled by his condition 🙂
    Anyway, Maria did not seek one for whatever reason.

    In Stuttgart Konta is out thus avoiding a repeat clash with Simona if I read the draw correctly.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 11:02 am

    Kozlov has won two rounds in Tallahassee Challenger both by 64 in the third set vs Federico Coria and Jurgen Melzer and now plays Mitchell Krueger in QF – Kozlov also won in doubles 10-7 in the tiebreaker with Novikov beating last week’s partner Polansky – Kozlov playing well on his least favorite surface –

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 11:17 am

    Sharapova messed up. She said it. Full press conference, ugly carpet and all. Point is it’s on the banned list and she took it and had no idea what it did etc. I have zero sympathy.
    But, she did the time after her crime. She paid the price. She lost probably untold millions of dollars.and now she’s back to prove that she follows the rules and is a champion whether people like it or not.
    I also have little sympathy for her critics. They had more than a year to put up big results in Sharpie’s absence. Or to become better players, etc. If the best they got is a shot across the bow then they are unlikely to have much of a season.

    To my knowledge the only critic that has made good use of her opportunities has been Domi Cibulkova. But is the Dominator Cibulkova so loveable? Or Cornet? And darling Bouchard, she did zero in Sharpie’s absence!

    They have no leg to stand on. And if they show up in the banned substance column they will be pariahs themselves and worse, hypocrites.

    Again Sharpie’s meldonium high was inexcusable and she never should have put that garbage in her body and deserved the penalty. Now she’s out of jail and has been roundly criticizes everywhere, but to me it’s her chance to return to the sport and make the most of her remaining months or year or years on tour before she goes all Azarenka or Serena or Kimmie Clisjters and goes on with her life.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 11:35 am

    Andrew –
    I don’t think Meldonium was on the banned list for a lot of the time Maria was taking it, along with a number of other players who got out of jail free.

    Anyway – all over and done and her return really adds a bit of fizz to the women’s circuit. Who was that Williams woman again ?

    Maria just won her second match. 7-5 6-1 Makarova.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 11:49 am

    Please Angie, please win a match. Just one.

  • scoopmalinowski · April 27, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    Very good points Andrew and Catherine. No player seized the opportunity to take over. And Maria is so driven now for redemption. Maybe just maybe Serena is running for cover! The timing of Serenas hiatus is just a lil bit curious and suspect, wouldnt you say?!

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    Scoop, Azarenka’s was to me. Her mom has very serious cancer and to me Azarenka decided what was important to her. Actually the ny times piece on Azarenka allowed me to see Azarenka beyond my blinders and beyond her grunting. And makes me think about the terrible reporter who had asked Bouchard about Azarenka’s announcement to leave the tour and take a hiatus. An awful question, so different from the many very hard working reasonable reporters at the press conferences.

  • Hartt · April 27, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    Scoop, have to think you are joking about Serena running from facing Maria. She has totally dominated Sharapova for so many years that even Maria has said there is no real rivalry there.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    That’s sad news and good point Andrew. A lot of the woman players need and take a long break from the grind. Seles, Capriati, Hingis, Davenport, Dokic, Stephens, Date, Azarenka, Serena and now Maria.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 2:10 pm

    Hartt; Definitely joking but still a little curious at the timing of Serena’s hiatus. Serena is on limited time. There’s only so much time left in her career. And I would like to see additional photos of her pregnancy stages as the first one did not look fully convincing. If I push my belly out after eating a calzone with a Coke at the pizza place, I look more pregnant than Serena did in that photo 🙂

  • Chazz · April 27, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    From what I have found, Sharapova’s ranking was 26 at the time of suspension. Was her game slipping or was it due to injuries?

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 2:24 pm

    Well Angie lasted one match in Stuttgart. Unless she has an injury or something similar this has to be the nadir.
    Where does she go from here ?
    Change in coach, team, what ? Heartbreaking really – such a good player on her good days and always seems a nice person. I would hate to see her take Radwanska’s route.

    Earlier I predicted sort of joking that Angie would go out of the top ten this season – doesn’t seem such a joke now.
    Did anyone see the match ?

  • Hartt · April 27, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    If I remember correctly, in the year before her suspension she had injuries and missed a lot of tourneys. Ironically, all that time away may have helped her get totally healthy.

  • Hartt · April 27, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    In Barcelona today, several upsets including LL Sugita over Carreno Busta and qualifier Chung over Sascha Zverev. Murray won over Feli Lopez, but Andy did not look sharp throughout the match. One of my favourite youngsters, Karen Khachanov, pulled out a win over Goffin, so another upset.

    Right now Ramos-Vinolas is creaming Bautista Agut. He took the first set 6-2 and just broke in the first game of the 2nd.

    So this ATP tourney is having some surprises. But I imagine when it comes to the eventual winner there will be no surprise on Pista Rafa Nadal.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 2:50 pm

    I saw a comment elsewhere suggesting Angie played not to win as a protest against Maria’s WC.

    Now that is something I really can’t believe.

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm

    Hartt Federer benefitted from the rest so maybe Sharpie did too.

    Scoop that was hysterical about the calzone and coke. I thought Serena looked a bit unwell but I dislike stepping into conversations about women’s bodies. Unless it’s Hantuchova from way back when she seemed to go on a hunger strike. I was like someone’s gotta help her! Thankfully she recovered or battled back against whatever was eating her. I think Matt Cronin has a good relationship with Hantuchova.

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    You’ve got to be kidding. No way Kerber bowed out like that. More like she’s been nearly missing in action since the wta finals. Kerber is not in championship form anymore, and she and Djokovic seem to be drinking the same stuff from the well of disappointment.

  • catherine bell · April 27, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    Andrew that is a good comparison – Angie and Djokovic seem to mirror each other at the moment.

    But how long can disappointment go on ? Angie can’t just walk away – well, she can of course but I don’t think she’s going to.
    Sponsors might become a little cooler though.

  • Hartt · April 27, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Karolina Pliskova beat Coco Vandeweghe today in Stuttgart. Looks like there is a good chance either she or Halep will play Sharapova later on. I think Pliskova would be a good test for Maria. She is having a good season, is No. 1 on the Road to Singapore.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    Catherine; You never know if Kerber subconsciously tanked it to send a strong message to the WTA – top players can afford to tank especially if they get a fat appearance fee –

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    Chung chunging Zverev is a big surprise – I would guess Zverev had one eye on the next round (revenge on Rafa) or perhaps Chung is breaking out (again) – Chung is overlooked often as a #nextgen dynamo –

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 6:16 pm

    Sugita Sugitafying Busta is also a big surprise – Looks like Nishioka and of course Nishikori have opened the door for a Japanese revolution but especially Nishioka’s shocking success this year is the spark –

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 6:25 pm

    Andrew; Unfortunately a calzone and coke are a terrible digestive combination and as my friend who is a nutrition freak says “it’s digestion catastrophe” – but nothing like a good fat calzone 🙂 I still think Hantuchova is genetically blessed and she did not have an eating disorder she just has a very lucky body – I never once saw her retire in a match due to exhaustion and she played and won a lot of three setters – She was a great player and a tough competitor for someone so slight – Isner Korda Simon are of a similar ilk to the great Daniela Hantuchova –

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 7:54 pm

    Chung is a player I want to see do well. He has great court knowledge. He had been getting a little tired out there and his form followed suite, but the guy has talent!

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    Catherine, for Kerber it’s like 2015 again, as if last year was a dream. For Djokovic it seems like a matter of finding something to play for. I’m sorry to say but Mrs. Djokovic seems to have chased the Djokovic the indestructible away and in its place is thirty something Serbian dad in Monaco who also plays tennis. It’s one of the most remarkable drop offs in tennis history, right up there with Wilander who followed his three slam year with no slam ever again.

    One tournament changes it all. But you have to wonder where his brain is at. If I were him I’d man up and throw the faux team member out the door and bring on Navratilova or someone with some stature who wont put up with his new ‘tude. He’s so clearly lost his edge and it’s not necessarily that it’ll happen any day now, but that he needs a voice there that keeps him motivated to pursue big titles.

    From best player ever to Serbian dad in Monaco with a wife named Jelena.

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 8:04 pm

    We’ll see where Kerber and Djoker are after Roland Garros. Then you can ink the latest runor on pending retirements!

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2017 at 8:06 pm

    Chung has such an odd demeanor on the court – He’s so stoic and blank out there – he makes no noises or grunts just plays tennis like he’s in a trance or he’s a wired up robot – I’ve never seen the guy do anything like a normal player like smile or show frustration or or yell vamos or allez or even cough or sneeze – Actually saw Kozlov sneeze just before receiving serve on match point vs Rola last week in Sarasota – Chung has a Borg like quality of total calm and focus – He also seems to play his best tennis against the best players in the biggest events and stages which is a dangerous quality – Strangely I like Chung despite finding his on court person and intensity to be far duller than I normally like to see – There is a curiosity and intrigue about seeing Chung and waiting for the moment when he finally shows us he’s a normal human 🙂

  • Andrew Miller · April 27, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    Chung’s quiet reserve contrasts with a sweet game. The guy comes to play! With the right elements he’s going to do well. Actually South Korea may even have a decent Davis Cup team. Japan too.

  • catherine bell · April 28, 2017 at 2:46 am

    Chung – I came across him a couple of years ago on another site when he was playing in Houston and read an interesting analysis of his game. I’ve followed him ever since through various ups and downs. Can’t see him as future No 1 but an intriguing, amusing, beguiling player nonetheless.

    On to Stuttgart – instead of whining and moaning the WTA players should get down on their knees and thank Sharapova for turning up. Otherwise, what ? A failing former number one who’s in free fall, a bunch of good but not startling players – no marquee name. Sharpie will bring in the crowds.
    Kerber will do nothing on clay. Her best chance is back on hard and grass courts. She also needs new input – maybe another coach (Boris where are you ?) and something on the mental side. Her self-belief is in tatters. Her game is still there but she can’t play it anymore. Goes back to last year. Dining with Presidents then and now this ?

    Meanwhile – I’m impressed with Simona – impressed with her play in Fed Cup, her demeanour there, and impressed with her decision to go to Stuttgart without Cahill. Even if she loses now I feel she’s making the right moves.

    Scoop – no way Angie tanked, consciously or subconsciously – what would be in that for her ? Look at her face when she’s on court, and even coming on to the court. Anxiety, fear – it’s all there and held in.

  • Hartt · April 28, 2017 at 7:51 am

    It’s great to see Chung back on the main tour. He got through qualies in Barcelona and hopefully he soon will get into main draws. He is now No.77 in live rankings, up from No.94. He plays Rafa next, so likely his tourney is coming to an end.

    Sugita’s dream week just ended. He was creamed by Thiem in SS, 6-1, 6-2 in 52 minutes. However the week did bring him to No.72 on live rankings, a career high.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 28, 2017 at 7:58 am

    Not sure if it was a subconscious tank but given the serious unrest of all the players against the WTA right now for their decision to privilege a cheater with a wildcard who knows? I still think Kerber will be fine and she is structuring her season and her head to peak at the GSs –

  • Andrew Miller · April 28, 2017 at 8:08 am

    Bouchard’s Sharapova comments were unbelievable. Isn’t it a little late to the party on that, especially for someone who wanted to be like Sharapova? I find it rich. Maybe Bouchard has been overestimated in terms of her take on things, generally. I was with her on the Olympics and how she decided to go to Rio and put Raonic’s decision not to go in a worse light. Bouchard looked principled and Raonic looked like a wimp (whose results after skipping the Olympics weren’t fantastic by any top five players standards).

    Anyways Bouchard just put a lot more pressure on herself. It’s easy to take a potshot, but if they play don’t expect Sharapova to have any mercy. It’s one thing to inject nandroline on tour and another thing to stupidly take a recently banned drug regardless of whether she knew it was banned or not. The second one is a lot more similar to the trainer handed me bad cold medication etc excuse while the first one is a class A ban for life offense.

    I don’t see Bouchard doing herself any favors these days. Either with her practice, her playing or her press conferences. She’s talking her way into trouble in the name of saying what’s on her mind. And it’s coming what, fourteen months after the fact? It would have been sufficient to say hey I haven’t looked at the issue, it’s important for all of us to review the drug lists and keep our sport clean, and like any player they went through the process, and for sure I’m disappointed as I look to her example. We all are. Etc.

    Instead it’s ban her for life!

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