Grudge match: Sharapova to play Bouchard in Madrid
MADRID — Maria Sharapova’s reward for advancing to the second round of the Madrid Open on Sunday is a match against Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, one of the most outspoken players against the Russian’s return after a doping ban.
Sharapova recovered from a shaky opening to defeat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.
Playing in her second tournament since a 15-month doping suspension, Sharapova denied there would be extra motivation to defeat Bouchard after the Westmount, Que., native previously called her “a cheater” and said she should be banned for life from the sport.
“It’s not the way I go about my job,” the 30-year-old Sharapova said. “I’ve been in the public eye since I was a very young girl. I’ve heard a lot of things. If everything affects you on and off the court, I think that would be a really challenging position to be in. It’s not the way I think. My tennis speaks for itself, and that’s what I focus on.”