Maria Sharapova has announced she will not seek a wild card entry to the main Wimbledon draw and intends to try and progress through qualifying for the grand slam event.
MORE: Sharapova denied French Open wildcard |
The Russian returned to competitive action in April after serving a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open.
A five-time slam winner, the 30-year-old was denied a wildcard entry to next month's French Open but will not be relying on that route to try and claim a berth at the All England Club in July.
"Because of my improved ranking after the first three tournaments of my return, I will… be playing the qualifying of Wimbledon in Roehampton, and will not be requesting a wild card into the main draw," Sharapova, who withdrew from this week's Italian Open with a thigh injury, wrote on her website.
"I have already started getting treatment on the injury I sustained a few days ago in Rome, and will begin my preparation as soon I get better."
Sharapova won her first grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2004, surprising Serena Williams in the final. After her French Open snub, Sharapova was granted a wildcard to compete in the AEGON Classic in Birmingham next month.