Maria Sharapova will launch her comeback from a doping suspension in April on the red clay of Stutgart.
German tennis icon Boris Becker says he supports Sharapova's shot at a second career.
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"In principal I am all for a second chance," Becker told Reuters at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco on Tuesday. "She (Sharapova) paid her dues, she was suspended for quite a long time. I don't know about the reaction of the other players, it's up to them.”
"Everyone has their own choice. Hopefully the atmosphere (inside the locker room) will be good. We can move on and have good women's champions."
Becker is the second Hall of Fame player to show support for Sharapova recently.
Former world No. 1 Chris Evert told the media she believes Sharapova, whose status as a five-time Grand Slam champion warrants unlimited WTA wild cards, will regain her place as a Top 5 player.
“Do I think she can be Top 10? Absolutely. It’s so close, the top 20 and 30,” Evert said. “It’s so close at the top there’s no big gap in the top 20 or 30. So yes, she can get back (to the top 10). Can she get back to Top 5? I don’t see why not. Absolutely, absolutely.”
Speculating the WTA could see a more sociable Sharapova, Evert envisions Sharapova, who took courses at Harvard and invested time in her various businesses while serving her ban, will be more genial with rivals in her return.
“I have a feeling there’s gonna be a little different Maria that’s coming back,” Evert told the media. “I think she’s had a little bit of a wake-up call as far as living life. I feel like she’s out of her bubble now. She went back to school for a little bit. She’s gotten better in her business, she’s made more appearances, she’s socializing more with her friends.
“I feel like it’s sort of a silver lining this whole taking off the last year-and-a-half. I think she’s gonna be a little different. I think she’s gonna be more open. I think she’s gonna be friendlier and I think she’s gonna come back a little more evolved as a person. This is all me thinking. I don’t even know. I just have a feeling from what I’m hearing when she does talk and do press conferences and does her exhibitions.”
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