• Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova (Photo : Getty Images)

Maria Sharapova said she will look for "something legal" as an alternative for meldonium to continue treating her ongoing health issues.

Sharapova continues to deal with Magnesium deficiency and early indications of diabetes, but the Siberian Siren admitted she will have to look for a substitute for meldonium, which had been included on the World's Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances from Jan. 1, 2016.

Like Us on Facebook

The former No. 1 told Today that she will consult her medical team to look for a substance "permissible to take" in order to help with her health problems.

"I will look with my medical team for a substitute, for something that is legal, that is permissible to take,'' Sharapova said about performing without meldonium in her return to the tennis scene.


(Photo : David Becker/Getty Images)

Sharapova played her first tennis game since testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January just a week after her doping suspension was reduced. She participated in two exhibition doubles matches for World Team Tennis Smash Hit's charity event, which supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation hosted by tennis legend Billie Jean King.


Sharapova could return to tennis action as early as the European clay-circuit next year after the 29-year-old appealed to the Court of Arbitration of Sport in June, seeking to overturn or reduce the two-year suspension handed by the International Tennis Federation.

"The biggest lesson for me is that I don't think anything is handed to you in life that you can't handle,'' Sharapova said. "As an athlete, this is probably one of the toughest things that I've had to handle. You think why is this happening, what is the real core message, but at the end of the day it makes you stronger."

"I'm 29 years old and I have an incredible future ahead of me, and I just can't wait to get back on the court."


Video courtesy: YouTube/Today