Maria Sharapova wins Stuttgart opener after serving doping ban

Maria Sharapova’s controversial return to competitive tennis was a winning one as she overcame Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-3 in the first round of the Stuttgart Open.

The former world number one was back in action at a tournament she has won three times courtesy of a wildcard just 24 hours after the end of her 15-month suspension for failing a drugs test.

Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and her original two-year ban was reduced on appeal. Not all her peers welcomed her return but Sharapova received a good reception when introduced to the crowd and subsequently walked out on court alongside her opponent in Germany.