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Venus Shows Support for Sharapova


Maria Sharapova's wild card aided comeback has caused controversy among some colleagues on the WTA Tour.

Venus Williams isn't one of them.

Watch: Sharapova Talks Comeback

Sharapova is set to return from her 15-month doping ban on April 26th at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Williams was sympathetic to Sharapova when asked about her return at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston this week.

"I feel like I have perspective in life, and sometimes things happen," Venus told the Charleston Post and Courier. "I just think one single thing in life doesn't define you."

Asked her reaction to Sharapova receiving wild cards, Williams said she views it as a tournament decision.

"I think the bodies have made their decision, and she has an opportunity to come back and continue her career," Williams told the media in Indian Wells last month. "I think she should be allowed to continue that. If people want to give her wild cards, I guess that's the tournaments' decision as they weigh other wild cards.

"It will be nice to have her back in the game."

Current world No. 1 Andy Murray and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki have both expressed opposition to Sharapova receiving wild cards into Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome after a doping suspension.

Echoing comments Murray, Wozniacki said in Indian Wells Sharapova should "start from the bottom and fight her way back."

“First of all, I think obviously she's a good draw to tennis, women's tennis in general. That's one,” Wozniacki said of Sharapova in her BNP Paribas Open press conference. "But, two, I think it's very questionable, allowing—no matter who it is—a player that is still banned to play a tournament that week.

"I think that's—from the tournament side, I think it's disrespectful to the other players and the WTA. But, you know, it is what it is. Obviously rules are twisted and turned in favor of who wants to do what."

Photo credit: Australian Open.

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