SHARAPOVA'S BAN & A WEEK OF COMEBACKS

This Week In Tennis
​Vol. 23

The big news in tennis this week was Maria Sharapova's two year ban from tennis after testing positive for Meldonium at the Australian Open in January. Sharapova broke the news of her positive test at a press conference in March, but the tennis world had been awaiting the findings of an independent panel which convened in mid-March. The panel released it's ruling last week, issuing a two year ban for Sharapova, retroactive to January of this year. Barring a reduced sentence by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Sharapova will be eligible to return to the WTA at midnight January 25, 2018. 

Meanwhile, both tours took to the grass courts after the conclusion of the French Open. Tournaments in Stuttgart, ​ 's-Hertogenbosch, and Nottingham yielded Dominic Thiem, Karolína Plíšková, CoCo Vandeweghe, and Nicolas Mahut as winners. For these and other stories, let's take a look back #ThisWeekInTennis, recapping the first week of the grass court season in tweets, articles, rankings, and podcasts. 
​

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

​RUNDOWN
​

• CoCo Vandeweghe won her second career title, both coming on the grass courts of the Ricoh Open.
• After a largely disappointing 2016 campaign, Karolína Plíšková reached her first final of the season and converted that into the fifth WTA title of her career.
• Nicolas Mahut defended his title at the RIcoh Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, his third title at the event and fourth overall in his career. Mahut is also currently the #1 ranked doubles player on the ATP Tour. 
• 2016 continues to be a breakout season for Dominic Thiem. The world #7 won his fourth title of the year in Stuttgart. Thiem has won the most matches on tour thus far, and now owns titles on clay, grass, and hard courts in 2016.
• Other finalists this week: Gilles Muller & Kristina Mladenovic ('s-Hertogenbosch), Alison Riske (Nottingham), and Kohlschreiber (Stuttgart).
• The first week of the grass season featured some high profile comebacks: Juan Martin del Potro, Caroline Wozniacki, Belinda Bencic, Ash Barty, and Roger Federer all made their return to tennis after varying lengths of time away for the tours. 
• Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon, due to the same wrist injury that forced his third round withdrawal at Roland Garros.
• Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini got married over the weekend.
• Andy Murray announced he will reunite with former coach Ivan Lendl after dissolving his partnership with Mauresmo before the French Open.
• Stan Wawrinka, following in the footsteps of Milos Raonic, announced his partnership with a former high profile tennis player for the grass court season. Former Wimbledon champion, Richard Krajicek, will join Wawrinka's camp as they gear up for the season's third Grand Slam.
• Caroline Wozniacki was ruled ineligible for the Rio Olympic Games and will have to appeal the decision during Wimbledon on June 30.  
• Nike and Head will continue their sponsorship of Sharapova after announcement of her two year ban from tennis.

Hi everybody. I’m sad to announce that after talking to my doctors, and receiving the results of my last medical... https://t.co/BBl4BOtL45

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 9, 2016

Coming without any□practice I guess it's still a positive week for a first week on grass!□see u next year @RicohOpen pic.twitter.com/BUDnbC9Msm

— Kristina Mladenovic (@KikiMladenovic) June 12, 2016

❤️□□□□ #stoptheviolence

— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) June 12, 2016

Please see my statement on the ITF’s decision on my Facebook page: https://t.co/UuuGLCR5lY

— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) June 8, 2016

Florida is my home. Been to Orlando countless times. Sending you my love ?

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) June 12, 2016

So the Stuttgart DJ just dropped "Don't Cha" during a changeover of Dimitrov's opening round vs Del Potro. pic.twitter.com/G7cgtDokvC

— The Tennis Island (@thetennisisland) June 7, 2016

Honestly feeling defeated. When will this stop? When will steps be taken to prevent events like this in the future? #PrayingForOrlando

— Nicole Gibbs (@Gibbsyyyy) June 12, 2016

Let's spread love! #stopbullying #frommyinsta pic.twitter.com/5xQ12ghmKd

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) June 10, 2016

Overheard from the 8 year old sitting behind me at Queens Club tournament: "I think Kevin's just more talented" #youreadorable #keeptalking

— Kelsey Anderson (@KelseyOAnderson) June 11, 2016

Hello Mallorca! Hello grass! ☀️□ ¡Hola Mallorca! ¡Hola hierba! pic.twitter.com/5MT3VqTqbH

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) June 8, 2016

VIDEO: @SerenaWilliams on French Open loss: "I'm going to take a moment to be super honest ... I was really pissed."https://t.co/qJzaGOjrJZ

— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 8, 2016

​RANKINGS WATCH

ATP: Querrey (+5 to #32), Lorenzi (+9 to #48), Kukushkin (+6 to #55), Youzhny (+6 to #70), Lu (+19 to #78), Robert (+12 to #79), Marchenko (-11 to #84), Haase (-15 to #97), Pavlasek (+15 to #99)

​WTA: Mladenovic (+3 to #29), Vandeweghe (+11 to #32), Sharapova (-8 to #34), Puig (+6 to #43), Niculescu (-9 to #46), Brengle (+8 to #60), Giorgi (-19 to #66), Zheng Saisai (+10 to #78), 

​ON THE WEB

​Post-French Open Mailbag: Serena and Bartoli, ranking movers, injuries
​Champion's Corner: CoCo Vandeweghe
​Serena Williams Is Unstoppable: "Am I the Greatest? I Don’t Know. I’m the Greatest That I Can Be"
Milos Raonic: Pete Sampras was my Idol and I'd Love to Wimbledon 
​How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria's?
Rebel in Reverse
Serena Williams Tops Maria Sharapova as World's Highest Paid Female Athlete
Rafael Nadal Withdraws from Wimbledon 
​Maria Sharapova's Career Faces Break Point
Dopey and Grumpy: Maria Sharapova and WADA

​PODCASTS

The Body Serve - "Roland Garros Recap & Sharapova’s Two Year Ban"
​The Main Draw - "Mugs & Maria"
The Tennis Podcast - "Queen's Preview: Andy Murray On Lendl, Cooking & A Good Night Out..."
Realz Tenis Fanz - "Spilling some ATP with Sergiy Stakhovsky"
Realz Tenis Fanz - "Roger Is BACK and Maria Is GONE!!!"
​Beyond The Baseline - "Sportscaster Ted Robinson"
No Challenges Remaining - "Muguruza Wins a First; Djokovic Wins Everything"
​The Night Session - "French Open Recap, Sharapova's Suspension, Nudity & Weirdness​"
Tennis Days Podcast - "French Open: Back From a Long Hiatus"
​