Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/771708
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 JANUARY 2017 Sport TENNIS FORMULA 1 BASKETBALL Sharapova to make comeback after doping ban in Stuttgart THE former world number one, Maria Sharapova is currently serv- ing a 15-month suspension after testing positive for meldonium at last year's Australian Open. That ban ends on April 25 and organisers have confirmed that the Russian will play the first match of her comeback the following day - the Wednesday - using a wild card. It has initially been thought that Sharapova would have to wait until the following week to make her re- turn as her ban will still be in place come the start of the Stuttgart tour- nament (April 24). However, Sharapova, who has sponsorship links with Porsche, has been told she can wait until April 26 to play her opening match. The three-time winner of the event said: "I could not be happier to have my first match back on tour at one of my favourite tournaments. "I can't wait to see all my great fans and to be back doing what I love." Tournament director Markus Günthardt described her return as "a fabulous present" to his tourna- ment. "I'm really happy for Maria that she's back after a long break," he said. "Particularly pleasing for me is that it's going to be our audience that gets to watch her comeback live. "Her return in the Porsche Arena is a fabulous present for our fantas- tic spectators and is certain to be one of the sporting and emotional highlights of our (40th) anniversary tournament." WTA chief executive and chair- man Steve Simon confirmed Shara- pova was eligible to play despite the tournament starting prior to her ban ceasing. "Maria is eligible to return to pro- fessional tennis beginning on April 26," he said in a statement. "This will be the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart's 40th an- niversary and I'm sure the fans there will be excited to see her play." Current world number one Angel- ique Kerber has also been confirmed as an entrant in the tournament. Sharapova last played a profes- sional tournament at the 2016 Aus- tralian Open. She was a long-time user of meldonium, which aids the heart, and was unaware it had been added to the banned list at the start of 2016. The five-time grand slam cham- pion was initially banned for two years by the International Tennis Federation but that was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Ar- bitration for Sport in October. Sharapova has already taken part in two exhibition events since the CAS verdict was an- nounced - playing at the World Team Tennis Smash Hits event in Las Vegas and then taking on Olympic champion Monica Puig in an exhibition match in Puerto Rico in December. Maria Sharapova 'Lowe leaves Mercedes for Williams' Force India passes all FIA crash tests MERCEDES technical chief Pad- dy Lowe has left his post to join Williams, according to reports. Lowe joined Mercedes in 2013, playing a key role in three succes- sive double title-winning seasons, but his contract was set to expire in May, and he had been heavily linked with a switch to Williams. Sky Sports reports that Lowe has now chosen to exit Mercedes for Williams, in a move that could speed up Valtteri Bottas' move in the other direction, following dis- cussions between the two outfits. Nico Rosberg's shock retirement freed up a space at Mercedes, and Bottas quickly emerged as the German manufacturer's primary target, with Felipe Massa set to replace him at Williams. Asked about the growing specu- lation over Lowe, a Mercedes team spokesperson said: "I am afraid we cannot make any comment at this stage; we will be in touch if and when that changes." James Allison has been mooted as a potential replacement for Lowe. Lowe started his F1 career with Williams in 1987, complet- ing a six-year spell as Joint Head of Electronics, before a 20-year stint at McLaren, where he rose to technical chief by 2011. Lowe worked alongside Toto Wolff as Mercedes dominated F1 from 2014-16. FORCE India's new Formula 1 challenger has passed the FIA's mandatory crash tests. Formula 1 is preparing to enter a new era of technical regulations in 2017, with cars set to be four to five seconds per lap faster than 2016 numbers, as a result of revised aer- odynamics and wider Pirelli tyres. Force India will launch its new car on February 22, and a team spokesperson confirmed to GPUp- date.net that all crash tests were cleared at the first time of asking, the first outfit to announce that it has done so. Force India recorded a best-ever classification of fourth in last year's championship standings, with Ser- gio Pérez claiming two podiums, and has set a 'stretch objective' of challenging for third place this time out. Pérez will be joined by Esteban Ocon for 2017, with Nico Hülken- berg moving to Renault. BOV Basketball Players of the Month – December 2016 Chad Patus (Floriana MCP Car Parks) wins BOV Men's 1st Division Award Patricia Arguello (Starlites Naxxar) wins Women's Award FLORIANA foreigner Chad Patus is the BOV Basketball Men's 1st Division player of the Month for December and Starlites' Patricia Arguello won the award for the Women's Division. Canadian Patus, in his fourth season in Malta, was the top scorer this period averaging 25.42 points per game with 20 3-pointers in sev- en matches. Chad also suffered 37 fouls in the same games (5.29 fouls per game) with 17.7 rebounds (124 rebounds in seven matches). This is Chad's fifth individual award in the local basketball leagues. Hailing from Spain, Patricia Ar- guello scored 58 points in Star- lites' three outings (19.33ppg), which included eight 3-pointers. The forward's aggressive game is a headache for the opponent's de- fense attracting 23 fouls (7.67 per game). Stefan Abela, Community Of- ficer at Bank of Valletta presented a commemorative plaque to the winners. Bank of Valletta is a long- time supporter of the Malta Bas- ketball Association and supports major sporting initiatives in the community in which it operates. Paddy Lowe