MELBOURNE, Jan 8: Former world number one Maria Sharapova will be awarded a world card to play in this month’s Australian Open, the organizers of the year’s first Grand Slam said on Wednesday.

SYDNEY, Dec 31 : Former world number one Maria Sharapova will return to tournament action at the Brisbane International next month after being awarded a wildcard to play in the Australian Open warm-up.

Twice former champion Maria Sharapova was surprisingly denied a wildcard into the French Open on Tuesday -- ending intense speculation about her place in the claycourt slam since she returned from a 15-month doping ban.