Maria Sharapova to return for World Team Tennis matches in July

Maria Sharapova will return to competitive tennis in July for two World Team Tennis matches after the end of her 15-month doping ban.

Due to injuring her left thigh that prevented her from competing in qualifiers, she is skipping Wimbledon.

Sharapova plans to play for the Orange County Breakers, a team that she has been part of since seven years, on July 16 and July 24.

Sharapova had originally planned to return for a hard court tournament in Stanford, California, on July 31.

The five-time major champion is ranked 179th in the world.