Maria Sharapova is picking up the pace of her comeback commitments.
The former world No. 1, who will launch her return from a doping ban on the red clay of Stuttgart next month, has accepted a wild card into the Mutua Madrid Open where she'll participate in an exhibition event.
Watch: Bellis Stuns Radwanska in Dubai
Sharapova will join fellow IMG Academy player Kei Nishikori and Feliciano Lopez playing in the third edition of Tie Break Tens, a quick-fire tie-break format set for Madrid in May.
Tie Break Tens will be contested on one night—Thursday, May 4th—at the Caja Magica in partnership with tournament organizers of the Mutua Madrid Open.
Sunday afternoons 👊🏻
A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) on
“I’m excited to have the chance to play Tie Break Tens for the first time,” Sharapova said. “The format of playing only ten-point tie-breaks means we need to be at our best from the very first point, which will make the whole event intense to play and to watch.”
A prize money pot of $500,000 will be at stake, split equally between the men’s and women’s winners, with $100,000 of the total going to charity.
The rest of the men’s and women’s line-ups to be announced in the coming weeks.
“Tie breaks provide some of the best moments in tennis, so to have the chance to play Tie Break Tens, in which every match is a ten point tie-break, will be a great experience,” Nishikori said. “I am very much looking forward to it.”
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve