Sharapova practices for her final comeback

The Russian tennis player had to practice at a small tennis club, because he was banned from entering the competition court until the end of April 25 (local time).

Maria Sharapova's final preparations were not carried out at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, the main venue for the Stuttgart Open. She was also not allowed to speak to the media inside the stadium, as her 15-month ban did not expire until midnight on Tuesday.

The Russian has been training at the Sportverein Sillenbuch club on the outskirts of Stuttgart, where a lucky few have watched Sharapova train hard ahead of her first competitive match since her suspension ended. Sharapova will face world number 36 Roberta Vinci in the first round of the Stuttgart Open.

Sharapova practices hard on the small court on the final day of her suspension.

"I don't agree with wildcards here, in Rome or any other tournament," the Italian said to Sharapova. "She made a mistake, she paid the price and of course she can come back. But not with a wildcard. I think the majority of the audience is here to support her. But there are also players who share my opinion about wildcards. I will play my best."

Vinci lost to Sharapova in both previous encounters. The Italian only won four games in total.

If Sharapova overcomes Vinci, she could face world number eight Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round. The Pole was among those who objected to Sharapova being given a special pass to return to competition, having just finished her doping ban.

According to VNE