Russia's Maria Sharapova comes back after a 15 month suspension over use of doping.

Sharapova is officially eligible to make her comeback on April 26 this year.

Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova was drawn on April 22 to play Italy’s Roberta Vinci at the Porsche Stuttgart Grand Prix in Germany in the former world number one’s comeback match after a suspension for violating anti-doping rules.

Sharapova, the five-time Grand Slam champion was handed a wildcard into the event.

In March 2016, Sharapova announced that her doping tests revealed the presence of banned performance enhancing drug meldonium in the body system.

Following the announcement, former World’s No. 1 was provisionally suspended from all tennis-related activities, including from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

The tennis player was serving a two-year suspension for the violation of anti-doping regulations.

However, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled to reduce her suspension term to 15 months.

Sharapova is officially eligible to make her comeback on April 26 this year.

Sharapova is Russia’s most decorated tennis player having won a total of five Grand Slam tournaments, namely Australian Open in 2008, French Open in 2012 and 2014, Wimbledon in 2004 and US Open in 2006.

She is also a silver medal winner of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2008 Federations Cup champion.

Source: TASS

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