4 August, 2019
WASHINGTON AFP: Former world number ones Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams were given wildcard entries into next month’s WTA Cincinnati tournament, a key tuneup event for the US Open.
Each will compete in the main draw for the August 12-18 hardcourt event.
Sharapova is one of only six women to have completed a career Grand Slam. The 32-year-old Russian owns 36 WTA titles, including five Grand Slam crowns, and is ranked 81st in the world. Her most recent Grand Slam title came at the 2014 French Open.
She suffered a nagging shoulder injury and missed more than four months before returning on grass, but retired in the third set of her opening-round match at Wimbledon.