Maria Sharapova has returned to professional tennis in a centre court training session, after serving a 15-month ban for doping.

The session comes ahead of her match against Roberta Vinci in the opening round of the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she has been handed a controversial wild card.

The decision has been criticised by many of her fellow players but has been defended by the Chief Executive of the Women’s Tennis Association Steve Simon.

“You have to look at how other league and tours have handled players who have come back,” Simon told BBC Sport.

“They come right back to the team and start playing… She is starting at ground zero.”

Former world number one Kim Clijsters also supported the decision to let Sharapova compete in the tournaments.

“I was disappointed and surprised when the news came out but… I don’t think she needs to be punished more,” Clijsters said.

Last year Sharapova tested positive for meldonium, a substance she had been taking legally for many years, but which was added to the banned list of drugs by the World Anti-Doping Agency in January 2016.

Her initial two-year ban was later reduced to 15-months after the Court of Arbitration ruled the former World number one bore “less than significant fault” in the case.

They said that she could not “be considered an intentional doper”.

The 30-year-old lost her world ranking due to the suspension, but was given direct entrance to the main draw of the Stuttgart event anyway through a wild card.

Many players have spoken out against the invitations, saying those returning from a doping ban should work their way up the rankings and go through the qualifying stages, instead of being given free passage into the main draw.

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki said last month the wild cards were “disrespectful” to other players while Agnieszka Radwanska suggested Sharapova should not be invited to Grand Slams.

Her first opponent Roberta Vinci has also slammed the decision, saying Sharapova “shouldn’t have been given a wild card” and “should have to go through qualification, without any help”.

A decision by the French Open on whether to give Sharapova a wild card is expected on 16 May.
Sharapova’s practice session on Wednesday morning was the first time she has been allowed to use official tournament facilities, as her suspension only ended at midnight.

Instead she’s been training at a local tennis club in Stuttgart since last weekend.

She has not played a competitive match since losing to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in 2016.

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