MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. An issue regarding Maria Sharapova’s possible participation in the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament will be cleared after the Russian tennis star’s performance at the tennis tournament in China this month, Shamil Tarpishchev, the president of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF), told TASS on Friday.
The WTA (Women Tennis Association) Tianjin Open tennis tournament in China, which offers $400,000 in prize money up for grabs, will be held between October 9 and 15. The organizers of the tennis competition in China earlier granted Sharapova a wildcard to enter the tournament.
"It will be clear whether Sharapova would play in Moscow only after the tournament in China," Tarpishchev said in an interview with TASS. "It will all depend on her physical condition."
"We will keep a wildcard reserved for her until she completes the Tianjin Open," the Russian tennis chief added.
The annual Kremlin Cup tennis tournament is scheduled to be held between October 14 and 22 at the Olympiisky Arena in Moscow. Sharapova played at the Kremlin Cup tournaments in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and her best result was the quarterfinal stage.
At the 2017 China Open, which is currently underway in Beijing, Sharapova failed on Wednesday to clear the third round stage and advance further to the quarterfinals.