Former world No1 Justine Henin is saddened by the news of Maria Sharapova failing a doping test and admits it’s “not good for the game”.
Five-time grand slam winner Sharapova announced on Monday she had tested positive for a substance called meldonium at this year’s Australian Open.
Henin, who along with Marat Safin was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame Tuesday, has faced off with Sharapova 10 times in her career, and the Belgian admits the scandal is a dark moment for the sport.
“It’s not nice what’s happening and I think we’re all a little bit sad and disappointed about the situation,” Henin said on a conference call last night to discuss her Hall of Fame induction. “It’s never good for the game and it’s never good for anyone, for the fans, all the people that support the game and the sport and probably not good for Maria at the moment. I’m not in the position to judge… so many questions have to be asked and it’s very difficult at the moment to give an opinion.
“What I can just say is that it’s not good for the game. Rules are important and have to be respected. I feel a little bit sad about all this.”
Safin believes his Russian compatriot Sharapova did not take the prohibited substance with “bad intention” but concedes that rules are rules.
Sharapova revealed she had been taking meldonium for 10 years for health reasons and was unaware that it had been added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances from January 1.
Safin sympathises with Sharapova and hopes she does not receive an exaggerated punishment.
“Of course it’s not really nice, first of all for the sport, second of all for Maria,” said Safin, an ex-world No1. “It depends how they take it, how they see the situation.
“I don’t think it’s done with a bad intention, I guess. I believe so, I want to believe so. But I think it has to be resolved in a certain delicate way and not taking it at a different level, not taking it out of proportion. Because otherwise, it’s not good for everybody. But of course rules are rules, that’s for sure.”
Meanwhile, world No1 Serena Williams applauded Sharapova for the way she revealed the news.
“I think most people were surprised and shocked by Maria but at the same time most people were happy that she was just up front and very honest and showed a lot of courage to admit to what she had done and what she had neglected to look at,” said Williams in New York.
