Maria Sharapova handed a wild card for the Australian Open
Former world No.1 Maria Sharapova has been spared having to go through Australian Open qualifying, with the five-time major winner among this year’s wild cards. See who else got one.
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Former world No 1 Maria Sharapova has been granted an Australian Open singles wildcard, sparing the 2008 Melbourne Park champion the ignominy of qualifying.
Winner of five major singles crowns, Sharapova has slipped to No. 147 and was beaten by US qualifier Jennifer Brady in the Brisbane International’s first-round on Tuesday night.
Sharapova, 32, is clearly the highest-profile player to earn a wildcard for the January 20-February 2 grand slam.
The Russian joins American CoCo Vandeweghe, Korean Han-Na Lae, France’s Pauline Parmentier and Australians Priscilla Hon, Lizette Cabrera, Astra Sharma and Arina Rodionova in the 128-player field.
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Tennis Australia will reveal its final two men’s singles wildcard selections on Thursday.
American Marcos Giron, Japan’s Tatsuma Ito, France’s Hugo Gaston have already received wildcards, joining Australians John-Patrick Smith, Alex Bolt and Marc Polmans.
Sharapova revealed post-match in Brisbane she had been suffering a virus.
The baseliner has an impressive 57-14 record at Melbourne Park, where she has reached four finals.
She departed in the fourth round last year after a tough three-set clash with Ash Barty.
WOMEN SHUNNED: SHARAPOVA CALLS OUT DOUBLE STANDARD
- AAP
Maria Sharapova says the women’s Brisbane International feels like a “second-hand event” after being forced to start on an outside court due to a clash with the men’s ATP Cup.
But it seems she won’t be getting too much sympathy from Australia’s captain Lleyton Hewitt.
Sharapova became the latest women’s star to raise questions about the inaugural men’s team tournament having a monopoly on Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane this week after her shock first round loss to American qualifier Jennifer Brady on Tuesday night.
The ATP Cup holds its final round-robin matches in Brisbane on Wednesday. It ensures even the likes of Australia’s world No.1 Ashleigh Barty won’t be able to feature on the main arena until Thursday at the earliest – the fourth day of the week-long women’s season-opening Brisbane International.
After former US Open champion Sloane Stephens labelled it disrespectful and dual Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova claimed it wasn’t fair, Sharapova also didn’t hold back.
With Brisbane International tournament director Mark Handley looking on at her post-match press conference, Sharapova said the women’s stars deserved to shine on the main arena from the outset.
“You definitely recognise it and notice it (starting on outside courts), it feels like a little bit of a second-hand event,” she said.
“I think on Thursday the girls go back on centre court. But it’s definitely a bit of a strange strategic move.
“I think there’s a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre court spot in this draw, I think there are six out of (the world’s) top 10 players (in Brisbane).”
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Sharapova hoped the situation was addressed for future tournaments.
“Everyone should have a conversation about it, that’s just my outside view,” she said.
But Hewitt claimed the men had also been affected by the tournament clash.
“There’s times this week though where we certainly haven’t been able to get the practice times that we want,” he said.
“I know there’s meant to be certain allocation of courts for men, the men’s teams as well, so I think it works both ways.”
Originally published as Maria Sharapova handed a wild card for the Australian Open