Tennis great and founder of the WTA Billie Jean King was among those who applauded the announcement.
It was the Russian's first competitive match since she withdrew from the St Petersburg Open in January.
Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer advanced to the Wimbledon last 16 without dropping a set after a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over German Jan-Lennard Struff on Friday.
Defending champion Andy Murray eased into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the 10th successive year with a 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Benoit Paire on Monday.
Five-times champion Roger Federer reached his first US Open final in six years as he raced past fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 at Flushing Meadows in the semi-finals on Friday.
Factbox on Russia's Maria Sharapova who was banned until January 2018 on Wednesday after testing positive for the banned drug meldonium at this year's Australian Open.
Roger Federer glided to victory on another hot, steamy day at the US Open, the envy of a clutch of men's players made to work overtime on Tuesday at the season's final Grand Slam.
Djokovic dismissed suggestions he was under intense pressure to overhaul Nadal and Federer in their three-way race to become the greatest male player of all time.
No Italian man has won a Grand Slam since Adriano Panatta triumphed at Roland Garros in 1976 and if there is any chance that Sinner, Musetti or Berrettini will lift the Musketeers Cup this year, they will face their biggest obstacles in the next round when they take on the might of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer respectively.
Konta first British woman in US Open last 16 since 1991
Novak Djokovic again revealed the true depth of his steely core to grind Wimbledon idol Roger Federer's hopes of a record eighth title into Centre Court's baseline dust on Sunday.
Halep through but Stephens exits in Cincinnati
Novak Djokovic eased into Wimbledon final after beating Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court to reach the Wimbledon final on Friday.
Bikash Mohapatra traces the rise of the Swiss, first man to win multiple Slams in the 'Big Four' era.
Djokovic was deported from Australia, just hours after the court dismissed his effort to stay in the country to play at the Australian Open
A summary of Day 2 at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
PHOTOS from day seven of the Wimbledon championships at the All England Lawn Tennis in London on Wednesday
'I find, in all this matter, a very unfair treatment... I don't know if I will be able to find the strength and the desire to play tennis again, after all this'
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal take to Rod Laver Arena to reprise one of the great sporting rivalries of the modern age on Sunday, a fitting climax to an Australian Open which has sent tennis back to the future.
Images from the matches played on Day eight of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday
The glittering career of Russian former World No 1 Maria Sharapova was in tatters after she was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation. Check out the high points in her career...
Roger Federer put his global army of "Fed-Head" fans through the wringer for four nerve-shredding sets before he kept alive his pursuit of a record eighth Wimbledon title with a 6-7(4) 4-6 6-3 7-6(9) 6-3 win over Marin Cilic the quarter-finals on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic's shock third round exit had raised hopes that this could be the week when the Swiss finally ends his four-year hunt for an 18th grand slam title, as the Serb had been the only man to beat him at the majors over the past year.
Croatian wunderkind Borna Coric offered emphatic proof of his potential when he crushed Rafael Nadal in the Swiss Indoor tournament on Friday before local hero Roger Federer cruised into the last four.
The Australian Open men's singles final offers a rematch of the dramatic 2021 French Open final, in which Djokovic came back from two sets down to snatch the title and leave Greek Tsitsipas heartbroken.
Austria's Dominic Thiem strained every sinew trying to cling on to the 32-year-old Spaniard and at times even gained a precarious foothold in his first Grand Slam final. But it ultimately proved a futile mission as, just like in all but two of Nadal's previous 87 matches here, the relentless Spaniard proved insurmountable, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
Images from Day 9 of the 2020 Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Bencic hopes Open organisers make it fair for players in isolation.
The ravages of two decades on tour mean Rafael Nadal has rarely been able to prepare for majors like other players, forcing him to rely on skills and mental fortitude.
'You don't peak every week. One has to keep playing.' 'It's a sport where you have to play at least 25, 30 weeks a year.' 'You have to keep your head down and go with the flow.'
The administrator of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme denied it had sought a four-year ban for the former world number one and, in a statement, rejected suggestions by the Russian that its independent tribunal was "not neutral"
Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt will resume one of the oldest rivalries in tennis when they contest the Brisbane International final on Sunday.
Nadal had arrived in Paris nursing a nagging foot injury and even brought a doctor with him to improve his chances
Images from the third day at the US Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, in New York, on Wednesday:
Djokovic welcome to play if he can obtain visa, says Australian Open director
It was a day of surprises at Flushing Meadows in New York as seeded players were knocked out one after the other on Friday.
World No 1 Djokovic on Sunday won his sixth Wimbledon title. With this win, Djokovic now has 20 Grand Slams to his name and he is now equal with Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer and Nadal.
For over three-quarters of a century men's tennis in Japan has played out like a kabuki tragedy, filled with decades of barren results, embarrassments and even a suicide.
IMAGES from the French Open semi-finals played at Roland Garros on Friday
A summary of Thursday's play at the French Open.
Roger Federer warmed up for next month's Wimbledon championships by swatting aside David Goffin 7-6(2), 6-1 to win the Halle Open title for the 10th time on Sunday.
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