SPORT DADDY NEWS TENNIS
MARIA Sharapova may not play again after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium, the president of the Russian Tennis Federation was quoted as saying on Thursday.
Shamil Tarpishchev told the R-Sport news agency that Sharapova’s situation was “bad” and it is “very doubtful” that she will resume her career.
Tarpishchev later backtracked on his comments, telling the Tass news agency: “I only said that she can’t play now because no ruling on her case has been issued.”
The five-time grand slam champion faces a possible ban of up to four years for failing a drug test at the Australian Open in January. Sharapova remains provisionally suspended from competition pending a ruling from the International Tennis Federation.
British media reported that she had been due to attend an International Tennis Federation anti-doping hearing in London on Wednesday, but gave the waiting media the slip when she allegedly fronted the tribunal at a secret, undisclosed location.
There has been no subsequent comment by the ITF.
The world’s highest-paid sportswoman claimed to have been taking meldonium on a doctor’s orders for 10 years and had failed to note that it had become a banned substance until hearing of her failed test at the year’s first grand slam.
Sharapova, who has lost a number of her lucrative sponsorship deals, said at the time that she hoped she would be allowed to play again.
While her career has stalled due to the doping controversy, the future of another great has been cast into doubt after Roger Federer announced he would miss this year’s French Open due to fitness concerns.
“I regret to announce that I have made the decision not to play in this year’s French Open,” the 2009 Roland Garros champion wrote on his Facebook page.
“I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness, but I am still not 100 per cent and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready.” The former world No. 1, who has been plagued by knee and back injuries this year, last missed a Grand Slam event in 1999 when he skipped the US Open.
Federer, with his 35th birthday looming in August, has played only four tournaments this year.
— with AP, AFP
0 comments:
Post a Comment