Maria Sharapova returns to the WTA rankings at number 262
Tuesday 2 May 2017 12:23, UK
Maria Sharapova has returned to the WTA rankings at No 262 after reaching the semi-finals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart last week.
The Russian was a wild card entry for the tournament as she marked her return to competitive tennis following a positive test for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. Sharapova was handed a two-year ban which was reduced to 15 months on appeal.
She did not drop a set in reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart, but was beaten 3-6 7-5 6-4 by Kristina Mladenovic on Saturday.
"You are never sure what level you are going to come onto the court with, but I feel this is a great base with which I started here," she said after the loss.
Sharapova's invite to the competition proved controversial with her peers, as has the decision to award her wild cards for the upcoming Madrid and Italian Opens.
If she had reached the final in Stuttgart, Sharapova would have earned a place in the qualifying tournament for the French Open.
The French Tennis Federation will announce whether the two-time Roland Garros champion has been awarded a wild card into the main draw on May 16.
Sharapova last appeared in the WTA rankings in October last year when she was at No 91.
She has not had a ranking outside the top 100 since 2009, when she was ranked at No 102 after nine months out with a shoulder injury.
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