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Maria Sharapova is a big name... I can understand why she is getting WC upon return, insists Greg Rusedski

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Maria Sharapova has been banned from playing tennis for last 15 months 

She is due to return this month and has been handed wildcards for top events 

Players are unhappy she is being handed route back without earning her place 

Greg Rusedski says he can understand frustration, but Sharapova is a 'big name' 

By Tom Allnutt, Press Association

PUBLISHED: 18:49 BST, 4 April 2017 | UPDATED: 18:49 BST, 4 April 2017

Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has sympathised with tournament organisers handing Maria Sharapova a wildcard, despite the Russian returning from a 15-month ban for doping.

Several players have expressed disappointment at the game's eagerness to accelerate Sharapova's comeback, with the 29-year-old being granted automatic entry to events she would otherwise not qualify for by ranking.

So far, the Stuttgart, Madrid and Italian Opens have all opted to give Sharapova wildcards and it remains to be seen if the French Open and Wimbledon would follow suit.

'I can see both sides of it,' said Rusedski, speaking at the relaunch of the LTA's free Tennis for Kids programme.

'Promoters and tournaments want a big name in their event. They want Sharapova because she draws a big crowd no matter where she plays.

'But from a players' perspective, they're probably like "earn your stripes back". She's been banned and they probably think she should have to build her way back in.

'But there's no rules that say she has to do that so she's doing everything she has to abide by. At the end of the day tennis is entertainment.

'If she's the one that's going to sell the most tickets what are you going to do if you run an event? You're going to put her in.'

Sharapova's return at Stuttgart on April 26 has dominated the agenda off the court but on court it is Roger Federer's revival that has been the surprise of the year so far.

After missing the second half of 2016 to recover from a knee injury, Federer sealed his 18th grand slam title at the Australian Open before winning in both Indian Wells and Miami.

Rusedski believes the 35-year-old Swiss is in the form of his life.

'Most of us in the media wrote Federer off and said he would never win another slam but he's playing the best and most entertaining tennis I've ever seen,' Rusedski said.

'Could he still be doing this at 40? I'm never going to say never again after this year.

'It's not just the tennis. He's playing better than ever but he's also smarter. He's missing the clay-court season and getting ready for the ones he can win.

'If he continues to play like he is now there's no reason why he can't win at least another one or two slams.'

Federer's brilliant form has been in contrast to Andy Murray's stuttering start to the seson, the Scot losing early at the Australian Open and Indian Wells before pulling out of Miami with an elbow injury.

'I thought it was a herculean effort to win all those tournaments and get to world No 1 at the end of last season,' Rusedski said.

'There was no off-season really for Andy and that is going to take its toll.

'It may be that 2017 came a bit soon for him and he'll learn a valuable lesson, that he needs a bit more time off perhaps before Australia and getting that balance.

'I think missing a bit of the clay season might actually be a blessing for him looking ahead to Wimbledon and the US Open.'

It means Great Britain will be without their star player for this weekend's Davis Cup quarter-final against France, also on clay, in Rouen.

Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans will lead the charge in the singles while Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray will be tasked with winning the middle doubles rubber.

France are also missing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils.

'I think we have a shot,' Rusedski said. 'We'll be the underdogs but if after day one we can find a way to be 1-1 going into the doubles then we have a shot.

'The French are still favourites. Even with two or three superstars out they still have a very strong team.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-4380010/Rusedski-Sharapova-getting-wildcards.html#ixzz4dL5EqUDF 

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