WATCH: Sharapova gets ready for post- ban debut

The Russian is back after a 15-month suspension for doping.

Published Apr 26, 2017

Maria Sharapova - LIVE Practice - Stuttgart
Maria Sharapova - LIVE Practice - Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Posted by WTA on Wednesday, April 26, 2017

On Wednesday, after 15 long months, Maria Sharapova returned to the court of a WTA tournament. In Stuttgart, the 30-year-old got to set foot on the grounds for the first time on the day of her match.

She hit the practice court ahead of her first match since the 2016 Australian Open. Her presence at the WTA Premier event, which she has won three times, has invited an explosion of attention.

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Maria Sharapova takes the court @PorscheTennis for her first practice. pic.twitter.com/01B9I1wfFD
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) April 26, 2017

Sharapova left the court waving the crowd who packed the little stands and made another round of applause pic.twitter.com/ZHHDsxrXPF
— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) April 26, 2017

Exit stage: Sharapova

Just a bit of a commotion at the end. pic.twitter.com/2vkha6nMoG
— René Denfeld (@Renestance) April 26, 2017

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She stayed focused, putting in a second practice ahead of her centre court night match.

Sharapova doing her second training of the day, this time in public on Court 2 in the middle of the shops and the village of the tournament. pic.twitter.com/peDSNec107
— René Denfeld (@Renestance) April 26, 2017

As expected, Sharapova is staying above all the chaos of her highly-anticipated return.

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A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova)

She'll take on Roberta Vinci in the first round on Wednesday (at 12:30 p.m. EST on BeIN Sports).

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