[slayer14]

LONDON (Reuters) - Not much fazes Roberta Vinci after 16 years on Tour but the maelstrom swirling around her opening match in Stuttgart against Maria Sharapova will test even the Italian's vast experience.
Her 946th singles might ordinarily have been one to chalk off and forget about but standing over the other side of the net on Wednesday will be the former world number one on her return from a 15-month doping ban.
Whatever else is happening on any other tennis court in the world will become irrelevant as Russian multi-millionaire Sharapova, who turned 30 last week, resumes a career that made her the world's richest sportswoman.
Debate still rages about Sharapova's crime and punishment.
While some say the five-times grand slam champion, initially banned for two years after testing positive for Meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, has done her time some fellow players are angry the red carpet is being rolled out.
With no ranking after such a long period without swinging her racket in anger, Sharapova could have been forced to work her way back from the lower rungs of the tennis ladder.
Instead, with tournament chiefs and sponsors well aware of her ticket-selling appeal she has been handed wildcards into the claycourt events in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.
It is not an arrangement Vinci approves of. "My personal opinion is (I do) not agree about wild cards... about Rome, about other tournaments," she said in a press conference at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.
"She is a great player - I don't have nothing against her. She made her mistakes for sure. She can return to play, but without wild cards. I know (Sharapova) is important for the WTA, for tennis, for everything. She is a great person, a great champion. My personal opinion is this."






https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/eye...5292--ten.html

[jjgold]

She is older although womens tennis is at its weakest in recent memory

Without Serena no dominate players anymore

[maletaja]

Sry should Sharapova play ITF events to demolish opponents 6-0 6-0?Everyone gets wild cards who is capable of winning tournament

[slayer14]

Must be a bit embarrassing for Sharapova that she got caught taking something that is not allows

[GoBlue77]

Vinci +1.5 sets -110

giddyup

[funnyb25]

I wonder if she has anything left..

[GoBlue77]

I wonder if she has anything left..

pfffft she can have 50% left and beat these scrubs currently on tour

[jjgold]

blown out of proportion

She got screwed

[gorwin068]

I have a feeling that she is gonna kick some asses after being banned for 15 months
It's interesting to watch anyway

[Conqueror]

The talent is still there but my fear is she's too rich to be motivated to want to do anything special.

[jayc88]

she has always been a fighter, she will be back and she will also win titles again

[jjgold]

she has always been a fighter, she will be back and she will also win titles again

Yes as long as she is in go shape

Without Williams around she go go to #1

[maletaja]

Im sure when Serena is out she has nice chance to win grand slams again. Im sure Sharapova would have retired but she want to compete and win again. So i dont doubt her motivation

[Snowball]

Sharapova will probably cover, she is the consummate professional
and Vinci is playing poorly. Vinci probably has 1 or 2 big runs left in her
this season before her retirement but this ain't it.

[jjgold]

I'll be very surprised if she does not win a few tournaments this year

[Conqueror]

First competitive game without drugs won't be easy.

[jjgold]

she is in a battle

[Snowball]

Masha covered.

[maletaja]

Anybody seen match? Seems like Sharapova is back. Mayby sloppy sometimes, but seems good

[lonegambler23]

Anybody seen match? Seems like Sharapova is back. Mayby sloppy sometimes, but seems good

nothing new.

[jjgold]

She is best player in women game, Serena gone

This is not a surprise at all