The highest-profile player thoughts on Sharapova's return

For the past 15 months, there has been plenty of chatter about Maria Sharapova even with her total absence from the competitive stage. Undeterred by anyone's opinion, the five-time Grand Slam champion returned to the tour on Wednesday in winning fashion.

For the time being, Sharapova is letting her racquet do the talking, taking out Roberta Vinci, 7-5, 6-3 in Stuttgart to set up a second-round encounter with Ekaterina Makarova.

"When you’re in the moment, you try to block everything out and compete and I’m a competitor by nature..." Sharapova said after the win. "Thats when I am at the best—when I forgot about everything and just compete."

The Telegraph first reported that Sharapova will receive a wildcard into qualifying of Roland Garros. She's already accepted main-draw wildcards into Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.

She's doing her best to block out all of the noise, but there has been an overwhelming amount of it. These are the top thoughts of players, past and present, regarding Sharapova’s wildcard-studded return.

1

Inevitably, Sharapova’s first opponent after returning from her suspension, which expired on Wednesday, was asked plenty of questions about the former world No.1’s return ahead of their match.

"She made her mistakes for sure, but she paid and I think she can return to play—but without any wildcards,"Vinci said."I don't agree about the wildcard here and about the wildcard in Rome and the other tournaments.

"I know (Sharapova) is important for the tennis, for the WTA, for everything. She is a great person, a great player, a great champion, but this is my opinion."

2

The seventh seed in Stuttgart, had plenty of thoughts about the wildcards that Sharapova has received.

"This kind of entry into the tournament should be available only for players who were dropped in the ranking due to injury, illness or other random accident,” Radwanska said. "Not for those suspended for doping. Maria should rebuild her career in a different way, beginning with smaller events...she wouldn't have a chance for [a wildcard)] from my hands."

Sharapova’s longtime agent, Max Eisenbud, responded with some choice words, calling Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki journeymen:

Radwanska, who could have faced Sharapova in Stuttgart in the second round before losing to Ekaterina Makarova, responded to Eisenbud’s comments after her loss.

3

In March, the 18-time Grand Slam champion was asked about tournaments doling out wildcards to previously banned players.

“Could see it either way, depending on who you are, and don't know if it matters what the cause was for being banned, because at the end, it's all sort of the same. Banned is banned, you know,” Federer said. “It's a tough one. I really don't know what to answer on that one, to be quite honest.”

4

The 23-year-old Canadian—now a former idolizer of Sharapova—had harsh things to say after having looked up to the Russian for most of her career.

"I don’t think that’s right,” Bouchard said about the Stuttgart wildcard. “She’s a cheater. And so to me, I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play the sport again. It’s so unfair to all the other players who do it the right way and are true.

"I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids: Cheat and we’ll welcome you back with open arms."

5

Former world No. 1 and four-time major champion Clijsters was one of few who has not expressed displeasure with the manner of Sharapova’s return.

"I was disappointed and surprised when the news came out but she's had the career that she's had and I don't think she needs to be punished more,” Clijsters said. “In a week's time this news will be over and she will be back playing normally, and probably some of her best tennis."

6

One the most blistering opinions about Sharapova’s wildcards (until Bouchard opened up) came from the world No. 41-ranked Frenchwoman.

"Generally speaking, I find it shameful that the WTA is promoting a player who tested positive after all. It's normal that people talk about her, she's an immense champion, but from there to promoting her return to such an extent ... I find that unjust," Cornet told L’Equipe. "A player who has tested positive should start from scratch like everyone else and win her place back. You shouldn't roll out the red carpet for her."

Plenty of other players were asked about Sharapova’s return over the past 15 months. Here are some of the comments that stood out:

"I think you should really have to work your way back," Andy Murraysaid. "The majority of tournaments are going to do what they think is best for their event. If they think having big names there is going to sell more seats, then they're going to do that."

"For the kids, for the young players, it is not okay to help with a wildcard the player that was banned for doping," Simona Halepsaid. “It is not about Maria Sharapova here, but it is about all the players that are found doped."

"Definitely it's a big thing for this tournament, not only for Stuttgart but for all the tournaments," Karolina Pliskova said. "From the tournaments' side it's a big plus. Obviously when Serena is going to be out now, tennis definitely needs a star like (Sharapova) is so I don't have anything against it."

“It's not [just] about her,”Dominika Cibulkovasaid. “But I think everybody who is doping should start from zero... I don't think it's right but what we can do about it? She's still banned and she will come on Wednesday. That's pretty strange. I don't know. For me it's not OK, and I spoke to some other players and nobody is OK with it, but it's not up to us.”