Women's Tennis Association chief executive Steve Simon has defended the decision to give Maria Sharapova a wildcard entry into the Stuttgart Open upon her return from a doping ban.
The five-time Grand Slam champion is to compete in the German event on Wednesday when her 15-month suspension for using meldonium comes to an end.
Sharapova's inclusion in the main draw of the competition has been greeted with widespread criticism, but Simon insists that the WTA is simply sticking with how others in similar scenarios have been treated in the past.
"You have to look at how other leagues and tours have handled players who have come back," he told BBC Sport. "They come right back to the team and start playing.
"She is starting at ground zero. It is going to affect her seedings in big tournaments so she's still going to pay a penalty for a while. If you think about it from other leagues, most [bans] are half of a season or a full season. She's had a year and a half."
Sharapova, who will reportedly be given a wildcard into qualifying at the French Open next month, takes on Roberta Vinci in her opening-round clash in Stuttgart.
Daniel Lewis
