Sharapova Set For Return In Mallorca, Could Meet Kerber In 2nd RD

After being sidelined since February with a shoulder injury, 5-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova is set to make her return this week in Mallorca.

“[My shoulder] is doing well. I took this time in order to come back to my first event and feel like I have a really good chance at it,” Sharapova said.

“Being away from the game for a few months is always challenging, because you miss a lot of things, but from a shoulder perspective, I’m giving it a really good chance here. Every match is going to be a really good test.”

The 32-year-old will be joined by a strong field which includes Angelique Kerber, Anastasia Sevastova, Elise Mertens, Amanda Anisimova and Belinda Bencic.

Sharapova opens against Viktoria Kuzmova with a chance at Kerber in the second round.

Projected quarterfinal match-ups: 1 Kerber v 6 Garcia, 3 Bencic v 5 Anisimova, 7 Kenin v 4 Mertens, 8 Siniakova v 2 Sevastova.

Last year, Tatjana Maria stunned Sevastova for the title.

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