'Cheater' Maria Sharapova should not be allowed to play again – Eugenie Bouchard
The WTA is “sending out the wrong message to kids” by allowing Maria Sharapova to resume her playing career, says 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
The WTA is “sending out the wrong message to kids” by allowing Maria Sharapova to resume her playing career, says 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
“Cheat” Maria Sharapova should not have been allowed to play again, says 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
Russian Sharapova beat Roberta Vinci on Wednesday at the Stuttgart Open on her return from a 15-month doping ban.
In October, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Sharapova was not an “intentional doper”.
However, Canadian Bouchard said: “She’s a cheater and I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again.”
Bouchard, 23, now ranked 59th in the world, told TRT World: “I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids: cheat and we’ll welcome you back with open arms.
“I don’t think that’s right and she’s not someone I can say I look up to any more.
“It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it in the right way and are true.”
Five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova, who was suspended in March 2016 after testing positive for meldonium, was given a wildcard for the tournament.
The 30-year-old has also received wildcards for the tournaments in Madrid and Rome and will find out if she has been given one for the French Open on 16 May – 12 days before the competition.
That decision has been defended by WTA chief Steve Simon, who said it was in keeping with how former dopers were treated in other sports.
Sharapova says she would “play in the juniors” if it meant competing in this year’s French Open and Wimbledon.
She won her first grand slam title at Wimbledon aged 17 in 2004 and won the last of her five major titles at the French Open in 2014.
The Russian does not have a world ranking after her points expired during her suspension and would need to reach the final in Stuttgart to be eligible for French Open qualifying.
Speaking to BBC Sport, former world number one Sharapova said: “If I get the opportunity to be in a draw then I will take it.
“I’m being offered wildcards from tournament directors and I’m accepting them.
“I’m coming with no ranking and I’m not getting a wildcard to receive a trophy or a golden platter. I have to get through the matches and I still have to win them.”
Wednesday’s match was a positive start to the process of rebuilding her world ranking points against Vinci, who is ranked 34th in the world.
Sharapova was understandably rusty but brushed off a nervous start to break at the first opportunity after losing her first service game, showing ominous signs with a string of big winners.
Vinci was then taken to deuce in every subsequent service game until the pressure finally told, with Sharapova taking a 6-5 lead and then serving out the first set.
Sharapova started the second set with another break of serve to win her fourth game in a row and leave Vinci reeling.
The Italian held on to take the set to 4-3 but ultimately the Russian’s superiority showed with a break to love and an easily won final service game.
There was no noticeable bad reception for Sharapova, who hit 11 aces and 39 winners and will now face fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” she said. “It’s the best feeling in the world, those first few seconds before you enter the arena.
“I spent a long time without hitting any balls. I went to school, I grew my business and had a normal life. I put the racquet away for a little bit.
“There were a lot of things that I did that I probably would never have done in my twenties.
“I felt I had to grow as a person and I think I’ve done that. But this is what I’ve done for so long. I’m a competitor – that’s when I’m at my best.”
Spaniard takes part in court naming ceremony for Pista Rafa Nadal
A handful of ATP World Tour legends have had a stadium named in their honour long after their playing days, but Rafael Nadal received that recognition while still at the top of his game at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
Nadal took part in a special court naming ceremony on Wednesday that officially crowned the stadium Pista Rafa Nadal. The nine-time champion also scored a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 second-round victory that day over Rogerio Dutra Silva.
“I want to thank the club for this honour. It’s one of the most important tournaments for me, one of the courts where I had the best moments of my career,” said Nadal. “This place has meant a lot to me and the club deciding to name the centre court with my name makes it even more special”.
After becoming the first man in the Open Era to win the singles title at an event on 10 occasions with his victory last week at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Nadal could replicate that feat just seven days later in Barcelona. He plays Kevin Anderson on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.
#NextGenATP players nearly went perfect on day three at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
Russian Karen Khachanov led the 21-and-under group, winning 76 per cent of his first-serve points to knock out 11th seed Pablo Cuevas 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in one hour and 55 minutes. The 20-year-old right-hander won the final two points of the second-set tie-break to convert on his fourth match point.
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Khachanov, who trains in Barcelona, improved to 4-1 at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament after also reaching the third round last year. He will next meet fifth seed David Goffin.
South Korean qualifier Hyeon Chung set-up an-all #NextGenATP third-round affair against 19-year-old Alexander Zverev of Germany. The 20 year old from Suwon won all three break points to upset 12th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, a five-time clay-court titlist, 6-3, 6-4.
Nineteen-year-old Casper Ruud had two set points in the opener against Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas, but the Spaniard saved them both and advanced to the third round 7-6(6), 6-4.
Ruud is currently in sixth place in the Emirates ATP Race To Milan, which will determine seven of the eight 21-and-under players at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, from 7-11 November. The eighth player will be chosen by wild card.
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Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell – Barcelona, Spain
Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez visited the Olympic Stadium to help officially launch the tournament with an archery activity.
David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Pablo Carreno Busta participated in a Peugeot clinic, while Albert Ramos-Vinolas was on hand for a Mapfre clinic. Philipp Petzschner. Alexander Peya, Fabrice Martin and Edouard Roger-Vasselin also spent time with young fans at tennis clinics.
Spaniard Tommy Robredo was the lucky star to assist with the tournament draw ceremony.
Gazprom Hungarian Open – Budapest, Hungary
Fernando Verdasco kicked off the inaugural tournament with some mini tennis along the river.
Fabio Fognini, Viktor Troicki, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Robert Lindstedt, Sam Groth, Andrey Kuznetsov, Evgeny Donskoy, Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak were among the stars to attend the players’ party. The tournament treated the pros to a boat ride to the centre of Budapest, fireworks, food, music and a show.
Lucas Pouille, Bjorn Fratangelo, Stakhovsky, Mate Pavic and Oliver Marach passed on their tennis skills at kids’ clinics.
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Former world number one Maria Sharapova faces the press after returning to tennis following a 15-month doping ban with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Roberta Vinci at the Stuttgart Open.
Rafael Nadal’s quest for a record 10th Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell title started with a dominating performance on Wednesday in the Spanish city. Nadal, playing on the newly-named Pista Rafa Nadal, hit 23 winners and dismissed Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes.
“I want to thank the club for this honour. It’s one of the most important tournaments for me, one of the courts where I had the best moments of my career,” Nadal said on court after the second-round victory. “This place has meant a lot to me since forever, and [that] the club has decided to name the centre court with my name makes it even more special.”
The third-seeded Spaniard had all of his shots working in his first match since winning his 10th Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters title on Sunday – backhand winners up the line, well-disguised drop shots and baseline forehands and backhands that produced grueling rallies against the 33-year-old Brazilian. Nadal improves to 49-3 in Barcelona and will face South African Kevin Anderson in the third round. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 3-0.
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Fifth seed David Goffin continued his great start on clay, moving into the third round with a 7-5, 6-0 victory against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, a finalist in Memphis earlier this season. Goffin reached his third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final last week at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The 26-year-old Belgian will next meet #NextGenATP player Karen Khachanov, who prevailed against 11th seed Pablo Cuevas 7-6(5), 7-6(5).
Spaniard Feliciano Lopez sent countryman wild card Albert Montanes into retirement, 6-2, 6-2 in 61 minutes. Montanes, who made his Barcelona debut 16 years ago, is retiring after this week. The 36 year old is a six-time ATP World Tour champion and reached a career-high of No. 22 on 2 August 2010.
Lopez will face top seed Andy Murray, who moved into the third round after Aussie Bernard Tomic withdrew from their scheduled contest due to a lower back injury.
Hyeon Chung set-up an-all #NextGenATP third-round affair against 19-year-old Alexander Zverev. The South Korean qualifier won all three break points to upset 12th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, a five-time clay-court titlist, 6-3, 6-4.
Verdasco advances on Wednesday
Second seed Ivo Karlovic weathered a stern test on Wednesday at the Gazprom Hungarian Open, being pushed to the brink before reaching the quarter-finals 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 over Damir Dzumhur.
“I’m happy with the win today. Clay isn’t my best surface, but I can also have some good wins on it,” said Karlovic. “I haven’t been to Budapest in 13 years, but I remember that the structures here are unbelievable. It’s a nice town, so I was really looking forward to coming back.”
Karlovic went on a five-game run to take the opening set, but the Bosnian responded by grabbing the lone break of the second set at 4-3. Both men traded comfortable service holds throughout the decider, but Karlovic raised his level in the final game by breaking Dzumhur to take the win in one hour and 25 minutes.
Karlovic served a modest eight aces for a season total of 277 from 13 matches. Only John Isner (283 from 13 matches) has served more aces this season.
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The 38-year-old Croatian is through to his second ATP World Tour quarter-final of 2017, having opened the season by reaching the last eight in Doha. He also improves his FedEx ATP Head2Head over Dzumhur to 2-0.
Next up for Karlovic is qualifier Aljaz Bedene, who didn’t drop serve in defeating Robin Haase 6-4, 6-4. The Brit has been enjoying a rich run of form this month, having also won back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles on clay.
Fourth seed Fernando Verdasco ended the local hopes of a home quarter-finalist by defeating wild card Marton Fucsovics 7-6(6), 6-3. The Spaniard rallied from 4/6 in the first-set tie-break en route to claiming victory in one hour and 28 minutes. Verdasco opened his clay season earlier this month with a quarter-final finish in Houston.
“When you play a local player, it doesn’t matter what their [Emirates ATP Ranking] is. They’re going to be very motivated and pumped up,” said Verdasco. “I came out mentally prepared knowing that anything could happen. It was a very close match, so I’m happy with the way I turned things around and finished the match.”
He’ll next play qualifier Laslo Djere, who completed a remarkable 7-5, 6-2 comeback over Viktor Troicki. Djere rallied from 0-5 in the first set and saved a set point on his serve at 2-5 and 4-5. The 21-year-old Serbian won the final five games to reach his first ATP World Tour quarter-final in one hour and 45 minutes. He previously won his first ATP World Tour main draw match earlier this month in Marrakech.
DOUBLES
The lone quarter-final match of the day saw fourth seeds Brian Baker and Nikola Mektic defeat local wild cards Attila Balazs and Gabor Borsos 6-2, 7-6(2). The Hungarians served for the second set at 5-4, but Baker/Mektic saved two set points on the way to prevailing in 77 minutes. Baker/Mektic won their first ATP World Tour doubles title this February in Memphis.
In first-round matches, Sam Groth and Robert Lindstedt reached the quarter-finals by sweeping through Borna Coric and Steve Darcis 6-4, 6-2 in 61 minutes. Next up for them is second seeds Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi, who defeated Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus 6-3, 6-3. Haase and Dominic Inglot are also through to the last eight after beating Lucas Pouille and Gilles Simon 7-6(5), 6-1. Haase/Inglot will next play top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
Maria Sharapova won on her return to action after a 15-month doping ban as she beat Roberta Vinci in the first round of the Stuttgart Open.
The Russian, who was suspended last March after testing positive for meldonium, beat the Italian 7-5 6-3.
There was no noticeable bad reception for the 30-year-old, who responded well to losing her first service game to take a tight opening set in Stuttgart.
She broke twice in the second to progress to face Ekaterina Makarova.
Sharapova, who hit 11 aces and 39 winners, said: “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, those first few seconds before you enter the arena. To know you were walking back out there was special.
“I spent a long time without hitting any balls. I didn’t know when I would be back. I went to school for a little bit, I grew my business and had a normal life. I put the racquet away for a little bit.
“I felt I had to grow as a person and I think I’ve done that. But this is what I’ve done for so long. I’m a competitor, that’s when I’m at my best.”
The decision to give five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova a wildcard entry for this event, as well as upcoming tournaments in Madrid and Rome, has been questioned by a number of players, including her Italian first-round opponent.
However, it has been defended by WTA chief Steve Simon, who said it is in keeping with how former dopers are treated in other sports, adding that she was “starting at ground zero”.
This was a positive start to the process of rebuilding her world ranking points against the woman ranked 34th in the world.
She was understandably rusty but brushed off a nervous start to break Vinci at the first opportunity after losing her first service game, showing ominous signs with a string of big winners.
Vinci was then taken to deuce in every subsequent service game until the pressure finally told, with Sharapova taking a 6-5 lead which she then served out to take the first set.
Sharapova started the second set with another break of serve to win her fourth game in a row and leave Vinci reeling.
The Italian held on to take the set to 4-3 but ultimately the Russian’s superiority showed with a break to love and an easily-won final service game.