Sharapova to plead case for French Open wild card

Maria Sharapova will meet with French Tennis Federation (FFT) chief Bernard Giudicelli to plead her case for a wild card at Roland Garros as the two-time champion makes her return from a doping ban.Giudicelli told AFP yesterday that he had agreed to meet the Russian superstar despite his initial reservations after her agent wrote to the FFT requesting discussions.“We’re going to meet her (Sharapova), listen to her arguments and then talk it over with Guy (Forget, tournament director) and we’ll make a decision,” said Giudicelli, who was only elected to the FFT hotseat on February 18.The former world number one will return to the tour on April 26 in Stuttgart, the day that her 15-month ban for testing positive for the banned substance meldonium ends.But Giudicelli said Thursday they would face a moral dilemma if they handed Sharapova a wild card into this year’s Grand Slam event which she would need as her world ranking has disappeared during her absence.“It’s complicated. We prefer that she returns completely rehabilitated,” said Giudicelli.“Integrity is one of our strong points. We cannot decide, on the one hand, to increase the amount of funds we dedicate to the anti-doping battle and, on the other, invite her,” he added.Giudicelli’s reservations echoed those of men’s world number one Andy Murray. “I think you should really have to work your way back,” Murray told The Times.