Russian tennis head backtracks on Sharapova retirement claim

MOSCOW, May 19: The head of the Russian Tennis Federation backtracked on his earlier comments on Thursday, saying he did not mean to suggest that Maria Sharapova’s failed doping test could spell the end of her career. Russian news agency R-Sport had earlier quoted Shamil Tarpishchev as saying that Sharapova’s situation is “bad” and that it is “very doubtful” that she will resume her career. “I only said that she can’t play now because no ruling on her case has been issued,” Tarpishchev told the Tass news agency. IANS