Maria Sharapova will make her professional tennis comeback following her doping ban at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart in April.

The former world number one is serving a 15-month ban after testing positive for cardiac drug meldonium last January and is eligible to compete again on April 26.

The Stuttgart tournament is an obvious comeback event given Porsche is one of her main sponsors, but it had been thought she would not be able to play because it starts two days before her suspension runs out.

Sharapova will not be allowed to attend the tournament until the Wednesday, the day of her first match.

She said on porsche.com: "I could not be happier to have my first match back on tour at one of my favourite tournaments. I can't wait to see all my great fans and to be back doing what I love."

Sharapova will return to tennis without a ranking and needs a wild card to enter the tournament.

Whether to invite one of the game's biggest stars will be a big decision for many events in the initial months of her comeback.

The two-time French Open champion would need a wild card to play in Paris, and the situation will almost certainly be the same come Wimbledon.

Stuttgart is one of Sharapova's most successful events, with the 29-year-old having won the title for three years in a row from 2012 to 2014.

Maria Sharapova's career defining moments Show all 25 1 /25 Maria Sharapova's career defining moments Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 19 April 2001 Makes professional debut at the age of 14 2001 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 14 January 2003 Makes Grand Slam debut at Australian Open 2003 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 3 July 2004 Wins first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon at age of 17 2004 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 22 August 2005 Ranked world No 1 for the first time 2005 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments March 2006 Forbes names Sharapova the highest-paid female athlete in the world 2006 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 10 September 2006 Wins the US Open by beating Justine Henin 2006 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 27 January 2008 Wins the Australian Open without dropping a set 2008 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments August 2008 Long-standing shoulder injury requires surgery, forcing Sharapova to miss the 2008 Olympics 2010 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 14 January 2010 Launches the Nike Maria Sharapova Collection after the success of the 'Little Black Dress' from the 2006 US Open. 2006 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments January 2011 Splits with coach Michael Joyce, appoints Thomas Hogstedt 2009 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments January 2012 Ends engagement to Slovenian professional basketball player Sasha Vujacic after three-year relationship BURAK KARA Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 10 June 2012 Completes career Grand Slam after winning the French Open 2012 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments June 2012 Named the 15th highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes 2012 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 5 August 2012 Wins Olympic silver medal at London 2012 after losing to Serena Williams in final 2012 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 11 January 2013 Global launch of Sugarpova sweets line alongside Jeff Rubin 2013 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments September 2013 Considers changing her name to Maria Sugarpova for the US Open but decides against it 2013 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments September 2013 Third shoulder injury ends her season prematurely 2013 AFP Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 7 June 2014 Wins second French Open title by defeating Simona Halep 2014 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments July 2015 Splits up with boyfriend and fellow tennis professional Grigor Dimitrov 2014 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 26 January 2016 Knocked out in Australian Open quarter-finals by Serena Williams and doesn’t play again due to injury 2016 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments February 2016 Announces deal to make Sugarpova Premium Chocolates with Polish company Baron Chocolatier to be released in May this year Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 7 February 2016 Sharapova reveals she has failed a drug test after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium, with the ITF provisionally suspending her from 12 March. 2016 Getty Images Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 8 June 2016 Sharapova is given a two-year ban by the ITF for her positive drugs test. AFP/Getty Maria Sharapova's career defining moments October 2016 Sharapova's ban is reduced from two years to 15 months on appeal. Getty Maria Sharapova's career defining moments 26 April 2017 After serving her ban, Sharapova made her return to professional tennis at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, defeating Roberta Vinci. Getty

She last played a professional tournament at the Australian Open almost 12 months ago, where she failed the doping test.

Sharapova was a long-time user of meldonium and was unaware it had been added to the banned list at the start of 2016.

The five-time grand slam champion was initially banned for two years by the International Tennis Federation but that was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October.

Sharapova is sponsored by Porsche and was expected to return at the Stuttgart event (Getty)

Sharapova has already taken part in two exhibition events since the CAS verdict was announced - playing at the World Team Tennis Smash Hits in Las Vegas and then taking on Olympic champion Monica Puig in Puerto Rico.

A WTA spokeswoman confirmed Sharapova's eligibility to Press Association, saying: "Maria has been offered and accepted a wild card to play at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

"She will compete in the main draw on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, so this is in compliance with the rules."