LONDON ¨C Russia¡¯s former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova said she could not wait to return to tennis in April after her drugs ban was reduced to 15 months on Tuesday.
¡°Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return to the court,¡± the 29-year-old told her fans on Facebook.
Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, was originally handed a two-year ban ¡ª backdated to start on Jan. 26, 2016 ¡ª by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in June following a positive test for the drug meldonium.
¡°I¡¯m coming back soon and I can¡¯t wait,¡± said Sharapova who is now free to return to action on April 26, 2017.
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