Maria Sharapova says she would ‘play in the juniors if I have to’ in order to compete at the French Open and Wimbledon, but has no interest in building bridges with her rivals after making her comeback from a doping ban.
The Russian superstar marked her return from a 15-month ban on Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-3 first-round win over Roberta Vinci at Stuttgart's WTA tournament after being given a wild card.
She described victory as the "best feeling in the world" as the former world number one returned after testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.
Sharapova has also been granted wildcards into the Madrid and Rome WTA tournaments, but must wait until May 16 to learn if she will get a wild card for the French Open.
She was very clear she will take any chance to try to win a third French Open title at Roland Garros, which starts on May 22, or Wimbledon in July.
“I’d be prepared to play in the juniors if I have to,”she replied when asked about her desire to play the French Open or Wimbledon.
“Everyone in this room knows what a competitor I am and if there is an opportunity to be in the draw, I will take it.
“I have been offered wild cards and I am accepting them.
“I am not getting a trophy or a golden platter, I have to win these games and that is my job."
The organisers' decision to parachute Sharapova into the main draw in Stuttgart, where she has been champion three times, drew criticism from rivals, who believed she was receiving preferential treatment.
'Walk the walk'
But she brushed off any personal remarks.
"I can’t control what people say, all I can is what I do out there, they are my words and I prefer to walk the walk and I have done it by winning five Grand Slam titles," she told a packed press conference.
"Words, quotes and articles are not what matter in life. I have learnt that very well in the last year.
"I’m coming back. There have been 200 credentials given at this event, and there’s news around it, but all that matters is what happens on the court."
The Russian says there is no lingering anger about her ban.
“I am not an individual who gets angry about things, I let things go quickly,” she said.
Vinci was one of those who said Sharapova should not have been given a wildcard in Stuttgart, but the Russian made it clear she will make no effort to build bridges in the locker room at tournaments with anyone who criticised her.
“I don’t spend too much time there (locker room), I do my job, which consists of practising and I will go in there, I’ll change, get my stuff and I’m out of there,” she said.
“I have a great amount of friends at home, all over the world, who I speak to and those friendships matter to me, with my family and friends.”
Congrats for Serena
The Russian used the cliche 'one step at a time' when asked about her feelings on whether or not she will play at the French Open in a month's time.
“I don’t think my mind is there yet,” she said with Rome and Madrid to follow Stuttgart.
“Coming from someone who hasn’t competed for 15 months, the importance of this tournament, and the next and the next, is crucial as well. I can’t get ahead of myself.
“I know Grand Slam tournaments are important, Paris is an incredible stadium and I have been able to win two Grand Slams, it would be amazing to be a part of it, but my focus is on this tournament and the next three.
“These tournaments are just as big to get the rust off and the practise in.”
She also congratulated her arch rival Serena Williams who is expecting her first child later this year.
“I think it’s one of the greatest gifts that a woman can receive in life, it’s a blessing. It’s a beautiful chapter in her life,” said Sharapova.
'Best feeling in world' as Sharapova wins on return
Maria Sharapova marked her return from a 15-month doping ban with a rusty 7-5, 6-3 win over Roberta Vinci in Stuttgart, describing victory as the "best feeling in the world".
Sharapova, the former world number one and five-time Grand Slam champion, brushed off a nervous start to eventually claim a convincing win on her controversial comeback having tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.
"It's the best feeling in the world to walk out (on court), it's been a stage of mine since I was a young girl and it was very special," said Sharapova who celebrated her win with a succession of double fist pumps and a broad smile before blowing kisses to all corners of the Porsche Arena.
"I have been waiting for this a long time."
Sharapova was given a wildcard to play in Stuttgart, where she has been champion three times, a move which drew a barrage of criticism from rivals who believed she was receiving preferential treatment.
She fired 39 winners and 11 aces past 34-year-old Vinci, one of the Russian's many critics.
After receiving warm applause from the crowd, which included one fan who held up a Russian flag bearing the words 'Welcome back Maria', Sharapova, dressed in an orange top and lilac-coloured dress, initially struggled.
She quickly found herself 2-0 down before she broke back to level at 2-2.
As was to be expected after her long break, Sharapova laboured to find her shots and Vinci profited from several mistakes.
But the 30-year-old Russian started to move her Italian opponent around the court and found her range with a pair of aces.
Sharapova finally broke the Italian in the 11th game and then held her service, converting her second set point in exactly an hour.
Vinci had lost to Sharapova in both their previous meetings and the Italian trailed from 2-0 down in the second set on Wednesday.
Sharapova quickly moved to 5-3 ahead up with an ace and extended her domination in the following game, racing into a 40-0 lead and converted her first match point for victory in one hour, 45 minutes.
'At my best'
"I've been doing this for so long and this was my first match for a while, so when you are in the moment, you block everything else out," said Sharapova.
"I'm competitive by nature, even when things aren't working out. That's when I am at my best, when I forget about everything, just be me and just compete."
Sharapova will now play fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova in Thursday's second-round.
"It's going to be tough, but every match I play now is important for me," she said.
Vinci had been one of the most out-spoken critics of Sharapova before the tie but she sought to draw a line under the controversy after her defeat.
"I lost. She had a wildcard. She won. She's happy, I'm so sad, but that's it," said the Italian.
"I don't want to think about the wildcard. I'm done."
Vinci added: "She's a great player and although she was out for a long time, she's not back from injury. She was really focused, really aggressive, she played well and deserved to win."
Sharapova has also been granted wildcards into the Madrid and Rome tournaments and she will need similar generosity from Roland Garros if she is to make the main draw of the French Open, where she is a two-time champion.
On Wednesday, the French Tennis Federation repeated that they will not make a decision until next month.
"There is a date which has been fixed. There is no reason to make an exception for Maria Sharapova," said FFT president Bernard Guidicelli.
"We will meet with the tournament director Guy Forget on May 15. The decision will be taken and communicated at 1900 (1700GMT) on Facebook on May 16.
"I know that there is strong expectation from the media and fans but we are not casting. This is not a rock-opera."
With the likes of Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova sidelined -- and potential heir Eugenie Bouchard struggling -- women's tennis needs pulling power and Sharapova ticks all the boxes for event organisers.
But many remain to be convinced.
Bouchard was quoted in an interview in Istanbul as describing her childhood idol as a "cheater".
