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Maria Sharapova thanks fans for their support and vows to return to tennis

Maria Sharapova has thanked her fans for their support and vowed to return to tennis in a statement which comes two days after she announced she had failed a drugs test at the Australian Open.

In a post on her official Facebook page, Sharapova said: "I am determined to play tennis again and I hope I will have the chance to do so. I wish I didn't have to go through this, but I do - and I will."

It comes after the Russian told a press conference she took "full responsibility" for testing positive to meldonium, a substance she had been taking to treat "health issues" since 2006.

The 28-year-old told reporters she was not aware the medicine had been banned on January 1st 2016.

She has been provisionally suspended with effect from March 12 by the International Tennis Federation.

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Wozniacki: Athletes should double and triple check medication

Caroline Wozniacki Credit: RTV

Caroline Wozniacki has said that athletes should make sure they "double, triple and quadruple check" their medications following revelations tennis star Maria Sharapova has failed a drugs test.

Speaking at a press conference in New York the Danish tennis star said athletes should be careful to check their medications for banned substances "because sometimes even things like cough drops and nasal sprays can be on the list".

Any time we take any medication I think we double and triple and quadruple check because sometimes even things like cough drops and nasal sprays can be on the list.

So I think as athletes we always make sure to really make sure there is nothing in it that could put us in a bad situation.

– Caroline Wozniacki
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Maria Sharapova thanks fans for their support and vows to return to tennis

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