Maria Sharapova awarded main draw wildcard at US Open

Maria Sharapova will make her first Grand Slam appearance in over 18 months after she was awarded a main-draw wildcard for the upcoming US Open, the tennis tournament’s organisers confirmed on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Russian, who returned from a 15-month doping ban earlier this year, was denied a wildcard at the French Open, then missed the grasscourt season, including Wimbledon, with a thigh injury.

Other wildcard recipients on the women’s side were Americans Taylor Townsend, Kayla Day, Sofia Kenin, Ashley Kratzer, Brienne Minor and France’s Amandine Hesse.

The US Open runs from August 28 to September 10 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, New York.