Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has accepted a wildcard invitation to make her seventh appearance at the China Open in October. Sharapova won the China event in 2014 and also made the final in 2012.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has accepted an invitation to make her seventh appearance at the China Open in Beijing.

After a thigh injury kept her away from Wimbledon and the entire grass court season, an arm injury forced her to withdraw last week from her comeback tournament at the Stanford Classic. Since her return in April from a 15-month doping ban, Sharapova has only played in four tournaments.

The Russian tennis star, who missed Wimbledon and the entire grasscourt season with a thigh injury, also had to withdraw from the Stanford Classic due to soreness in her left arm. The former World No.1, Sharapova was also scheduled to play at the Rogers Cup in Toronto this week but withdrew with the same injury.

“Hello, my SharaFamily in China. I’m very happy to announce that I will return to Beijing and play the China Open this October,” the wtatennis website quoted Sharapova as saying in a statement. “This is especially exciting as it will be my first tournament in Asia this year!” she added.

Maria Sharapova
Image: Yibada

Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza, Caroline Wozniacki, Venus Williams, Zhang Shuai and Peng Shuai will also take part in the Beijing event, which runs from September 24 to October 8.