Maria Sharapova received some great news from the Court of Arbitration for Sport when her 24-month suspension for banned substances was reduced to 15. According to the latest news, Sharapova is eligible to return on April 26, 2017 and it is expected that the French Open could be her first tournament back.
The 29-year-old Russian star failed a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open and she announced it in a press conference after losing in the quarterfinals to Serena Williams. It shocked the sports world and she revealed that she tested positive for meldonium.
Meldonium is a substance that is used to treat coronary artery disease but it was banned by WADA on January 1. Sharapova was not aware of it and she noted that she has been taking the drug for the past ten years after being prescribed by her family doctor.
Nevertheless, the five-time Grand Slam winner was temporarily suspended then subsequently banned for two years. However, she appealed her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and it reduced her suspension to just 15 months. The announcement was made through the official website of CAS.
"The panel found that Ms. Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation and that while it was with "no significant fault," she bore some degree of fault, for which a sanction of 15 months is appropriate," an official statement from CAS said.
According to The Guardian, the reduced suspension for Sharapova means she can play competitive tennis once again starting in May 2017. It is noted that it is close to the French Open and it might mark her return to the sport.
However, Sharapova might still not get into the Grand Slam tournament since she and her camp has been taking shots at the International Tennis Federation. She has criticized the ITF for trying to use her as an example after getting the 24-month suspension.
Also, Sharapova would need a wildcard in order to participate for Roland Garros. Sharapova is a two-time French Open champion, winning it in 2012 and 2014. As for Wimbledon, she would also need a wildcard in order to participate.
Sharapova won the Wimbledon in 2004 while taking the Australian Open and US Open crowns in 2008 and 2006, respectively. Check out the video below for the highlights of her career so far.