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Maria Sharapova: Tianjin title is preview of what to expect in 2018

By Harry Floyd

BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 04: Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot against Simona Halep of Romania during the Women's singles 3rd round on day five of 2017 China Open at the China National Tennis Centre on October 4, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 04: Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot against Simona Halep of Romania during the Women's singles 3rd round on day five of 2017 China Open at the China National Tennis Centre on October 4, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images) /
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Maria Sharapova earns her first WTA singles title since her return to the sport. The Russian tennis star wins the 2017 Tianjin Open.

Maria Sharapova completes a nearly perfect week of tennis at the Tianjin Open.

The former world No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam singles champion wins her first WTA title since returning from her drug ban due to the use of meldonium. She defeats Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 7-6 (8) in their finals meeting.

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Sharapova has seen mixed responses since her return to tennis on the 2017 WTA Tour. Some players, such as Eugenie Bouchard, have openly expressed displeasure with the way Sharapova has been allowed to compete in certain tournaments.

Maria Sharapova jumps 29 positions to No. 57 in women’s singles tennis.

The former world No. 1 is making moves in the concluding months of 2017. While competing as a wild card and needing to reestablish herself in the WTA rankings, Sharapova is looking more toward the 2018 WTA Tour.

Up next for the Russian tennis star is action at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. She will not struggle to gain wildcard entries moving forward with her large rankings jump after the Tianjin Open. 2018 should see the Maria Sharapova of old if she can keep up her strong play. At 30-years-old, Sharapova can easily enter a new era in her career.

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While her return to the court has not been without controversy, it is clear that fifteen months away has not hurt Maria Sharapova’s game. The title win at the Tianjin Open is an important one for the former world No. 1 and will give her momentum in the coming weeks. If she can carry that momentum into play at the Kremlin Cup, look for her continue to rise yet again in the singles rankings.

Maria Sharapova squares off against Magdaléna Rybáriková in her Kremlin Cup opener. The Slovakian tennis player is the eighth seed this week in Moscow. Stay tuned to see how Sharapova fares throughout the next week and in the finals months of the 2017 WTA Tour. She will be a strong contender in any matches she plays and will be a fan-favorite in Moscow. Check back for updates on play at the 2017 Kremlin Cup.

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