International Tennis Federation

Sharapova hits out at ITF

The five-time Grand Slam champion returns to the WTA Tour later this month, following a 15-month suspension, after testing positive for the substance at the 2016 Australian Open.

The Russian, who turns 30 next week, had been using meldonium for more than a decade but the substance was reclassified as a banned drug ahead of the 2016 season.

Sharapova, who was originally suspended for two years before having the sentence reduced to 15 months on appeal, makes her competitive comeback in Stuttgart in just over a week.