Maria Sharapova who is currently serving a ban following a positive drug test at January’s Australian Open participated in a tennis match with Monica Puig on Thursday evening where Sharapova was beaten 6-3 1-6 10-6 in Puig’s home city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. A crowd of around 12,000 gathered to watch the inaugural Monica Puig invitational event with many delighted to see the former world number one playing in their country for the first time. This was Sharapova’s first visit for a match to San Juan, Puerto Rico and her appearance has proved a bit controversial.
She is currently suspended from competitive tennis until April 26th next year following her positive test for meldonium earlier this season. However, her ban has been cut short after a revised appeal and hearing which has not gone quite well with many tennis authorities. She was initially banned for two years however the 29-year-old filed an appeal and got her suspension reduced to 15 months and now she is expected to return to tournament play during the clay court season.
Maria came to San Juan, Puerto Rico to play in a Thursday night exhibition with the islands nation’s greatest darling and gold medallist Monica Puig. Though the Russian is still serving a suspension from IITF until April 2017 was greeted with love and cheers. It was Sharapova’s second public tennis appearance since announcing her failed drug test for meldonium back in March. Sharapova has seen in a great spirit and energy and all thanks to the massive crowd that she danced a lot and enjoyed playing here with Monica Puig.
Though Puig won the match 6-3, 1-6, 10-6, but it was a celebration of Puerto Rico’s growing interest in tennis than anything else. After the match Sharapova said “I think tonight is a combination of a few things,”First and most importantly, it’s because of Monica—without her and with her career and her path with what she achieved in the summer with the Olympics, none of us would be here tonight.”
This match also showed the friendship between Maria Sharapova and Monica Puig and with this start it seems that this event now would be a regular annual affair for both the tennis stars. Puig also had only great things to say about the five-time Grand Slam champion which also shows that she looks forward to more of such events with the tennis star.
