Tennis world english n 45 Tennis World english 45 | Page 25

drugs
is
the
best
way
to
go.
That
way,
she
no
doubt
hopes,
the
story
will
eventually
die
down.
she
still
has
a
health
condition
but
can
no
longer
take
that
drug,
she
must
be
taking
something
else.
She
was
evasive
in
her
answer,
and
in
the
end
gave
none.
That’s
not
entirely
unreasonable,
given
that
she
has
a
right
to
basic
privacy,
but
it
is
also
not
a
good
look.
Given
what
has
happened
over
the
past
year,
she
would
perhaps
have
been
smart
to
be
more
transparent
about
her
situation.

Sharapova
claims
to
have
communicated
with
the
WTA
regarding
her
current
medication
situation,
and
that
everything
is
above
board.
After
all,
Sharapova
has
a
business
empire
to
protect,
and
she
no
doubt
feels
that
staying
as
quiet
as
possible
about
any
and
all
Large
parts
of
the
tennis
world
will
harbor
similar
hopes.
The
WTA
is
not
in
great
shape,
and
this
year
has
already
been
dubbed
as
“the
season
without
starts”
by
some
cynical
fans.
It’s
hard
to
argue
against
such
sentiments.
Both
Victoria
Azarenka
and
Serena
Williams
are
away
from
the
sport
indefinitely
due
to
pregnancies,
and
Petra
Kvitova
is
lying
low
after
her
terrifying
knife
attack.
Angelique
Kerber
will
no
doubt
return
to
the
top
spot
in
the
rankings
and
remain
there
for
some
time,
but
given
her
poor
results
so
far
this
year,
it
seems
like
an
empty
accomplishment
at
the
moment.

So
tennis
desperately
needs
Maria
Sharapova.
She
is
constantly
talked
about,
whether
she
is
playing
or
not,
but
it
certainly
better
for
everyone
if
she
is
playing
and
playing
well.
As
Eugenie
Bouchard’s
recent
critical
comments
reveal,
Sharapova
will
never
regain
the
trust
of
a
certain
segment
of
fans
after
her
suspension.
From
a
business
perspective,
this
doesn’t
really
matter.
Whether
people
love
Sharapova
or
hate
her,
they
will
tune
in
to
root
for
or
against
her.
The
point
is
that
they
are
tuning
in,
which
is
what
matters
to
the
organizers
and
the
WTA.
But
the
ethical
issues
will
no
doubt
persist.

“For
the
kids,
for
the
young
players,
it
is
not
OK
to
help
with
a
wild
card
the
player
that
was
banned
for
doping,”
Simona
Halep
said
of
the
situation.
“It
is
not
about
Maria
Sharapova
here,
but
it
is
about
all
the
players
that
are
found
doped.”

Thanasi
Kokkinakis,
who
knows
something
about
controversy
and
tennis,
has
a
similar
opinion,
but
is
wary
of
expressing
himself
due
to
the
criticism
one
receives
from
Sharapova’s
fans
for
doing
so.

“I
congratulated
Grigor
Dimitrov
(Sharapova’s
ex-
boyfriend)
after
he
had
announced
that
he
was
dating
Nicole
Scherzinger”,
he
said
in
a
recent
interview.
“But
then
I
had
to
deal
with
an
army
of
Maria
Sharapova's
fans.
I
don't
know
the
ins
and
outs
of
doping,
but
if
you
do,
maybe
you
should
not
get
a
wild
card.
I
also
understand
the
position
of
Roland
Garros.
She
is
a
massive
name,
who
has
given
much
to
our
sport,
so
it
is
natural
they
want
her
in
their
draw.”
But
while
Roland
Garros
has
been
receptive
to
having
the
Russian
compete
on
a
wild
card,
Wimbledon
has
been