Deadline for Sharapova’s France invitation

The organisers of the French Open will decide on May 15 if Russia’s Maria Sharapova will be invited after completing a 15-month suspension for doping.

French Tennis Federation officials told EFE that its president, Bernard Giudicelli, chose May 15 as the deadline to decide whether or not to invite Sharapova, former world No.1 and winner of five grand slams.

Sharapova, who turned 30 on Wednesday, will return to the tennis courts next week, after completing the sanction imposed by the International Tennis Federation for taking meldonium, a substance banned for athletes.

The Russia is scheduled to compete from May 5 until May 14 after receiving an invitation to the Madrid Open.

Sharapova was banned for two years by the International Tennis Federation in June following a doping test conducted in January 2016 during her participation in the Australian Open. The sanction was later dropped to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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