Maria Sharapova's two-year doping ban cut to 15 months

Maria Sharapova pledged on Tuesday night that she would be ‘counting the days’ until her comeback at the end of April next year. 

The former world No 1 was delighted after the Court of Arbitration for Sport produced their latest example of leniency with tennis players in reducing her doping ban from two years to 15 months. 

An independent tribunal convened by the International Tennis Federation imposed the original, backdated sentence in June after she tested positive for newly banned meldonium at the Australian Open. 

"Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return to the court," said Sharapova after hearing the news.