CHARLIE ROSE INTERVIEWS TENNIS CHAMPION MARIA SHARAPOVA

Written by: Staff on 4th October 2016

CHARLIE ROSE INTERVIEWS TENNIS CHAMPION MARIA SHARAPOVA |

“I never doubted that I would be back.” Maria Sharapova to CHARLIE ROSE

NEW YORK, Oct. 4 2016

Today, Charlie Rose sat down with Maria Sharapova, five-time Grand Slam tennis champion and one of the world’s highest profile athletes.

In January, Sharapova tested positive for meldonium, a heart medication recently banned by regulators, and was suspended from competition for two years. Today, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced it has reduced her suspension by nine months, allowing her to return to competition in April 2017, in time for Wimbledon and the French Open.

Rose asked Sharapova about the hearing with the International Tennis Foundation (ITF), the CAS decision, her knowledge of prohibited substances, and how the suspension has affected her. Of the meldonium prohibition, Sharapova said she did not consider it a performance enhancer, and criticized the ITF for not alerting her and other players of its addition to the list of prohibited substances.

Sharapova added that other federations have done much more to alert players: “There are lots of things that could have been done to prevent this.”

Sharapova also elaborated on how her training and perspective have changed during the suspension, and that she is looking forward to her return to competition. “I was born to be a warrior,” she said.

The full interview will air on CHARLIE ROSE on PBS stations beginning at 11:00 PM, ET (check local listings). A preview will also be broadcast tonight on CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY (6:30-7:00 PM, ET). It will also be featured on Wednesday, Oct 5, on CBS THIS MORNING (7:00-9:00 AM, ET).