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Maria Sharapova wins in Istanbul, looking toward 2018 WTA Tour

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 wins the TEB BNP Paribas Tennis Stars Series in Istanbul. The former world No. 1 continues her successful return to the sport.

Maria Sharapova wins on Sunday in Istanbul.

The Russian star defeats Turkish tennis player Cagla Buyukakcay to win the TEB BNP Paribas Tennis Stars Series. She takes the meeting in front of a sold out crowd at the Sinan Erdem Dome.

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Sharapova is continuing her return to the sport of tennis. With limited play on the 2017 WTA Tour and in other events, the former world No. 1 is bouncing back from her suspension due to the use of a banned substance. Her reception has been mixed amongst players and fans but she appears to retain the support of her core fanbase.

Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam singles champion.

On the 2017 WTA Tour, the former world No. 1 earned her first title in nearly two years at the Tianjin Open. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7–5, 7–6 (8).

The win in Istanbul comes one week after allegations of a housing fraud case in India. Sharapova’s celebrity was used in the promotion of a now defunct luxury housing project. She is not the only celebrity whose endorsement has been used by the real estate company involved, nor is she the first to encounter such a situation. There is no doubt that Sharapova is eager to continue focusing on her tennis. The win this weekend is a move in the right direction for the former world No. 1.

Next: Top 10 Men's Singles Players

On the 2018 WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova will need to contend with several veteran and rising stars in women’s singles tennis. Caroline Wozniacki is a former world No. 1 herself. She is fresh off of her first ever win at the end of year WTA Finals in Singapore. Simona Halep and Garbine Muguruza have both taken the top ranking throughout 2017. Other players such as Angelique Kerber will be looking to regain ground in the rankings in the early months of the tour. Look for Sharapova to be amongst a competitive field of women’s singles players on the 2018 WTA Tour. Check back for updates on all of the action.

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