NEW YORK, Sept. 3 -- After a disappointing fourth round loss at the US Open on Sunday, Russian star Maria Sharapova said it's been a really great ride at Flushing Meadows and can take a lot positives from this week.
The Russian wild card said: "It's great to get that major out of the way. It was an incredible opportunity. I'm very thankful for the opportunity."
Sharapova hadn't played in a major tournament since the Australian Open in January 2016, when she tested positive for the newly banned drug meldonium. She served a 15-month ban for that, returning to the tour this April with a ranking too low to get into Grand Slam events.
The French Open denied her a wild-card invitation, then she planned to try to qualify for Wimbledon before pulling out because of an injured left leg. But she was able to enter the US Open thanks to a wild card from the US Tennis Association.
The five-time major champion lost to 16th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the fourth round.
"Three-set matches are challenging. I love being part of them. There's an element of concentration, focus, physicality that goes into all of it. And you have to put it all together. You just have to get through it," Sharapova said.
"There's no doubt that not playing those matches certainly cost me today. I did feel like I was thinking a little bit too much and not playing by instinct."