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After 15 months away from tennis, what kind of impact will Maria Sharapova have when she returns next spring?Two ESPN analysts, Brad Gilbert and Pam Shriver -- formidable former professionals both -- have widely differing views. Dwight Gooden Jersey .Yes, Shriver said Tuesday from her southern California home, she can still win majors.Gilbert, speaking some 350 miles to the north, wasnt so sure.I think its going to be really difficult for her, he said. Fifteen months is a long, long time.The Court of Arbitration for Sport -- the highest governing authority in sports -- reduced the previous two-year drug suspension of the International Tennis Federation to 15 months.That means Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, will be eligible to come back April 25, 2017, one week after her 30th birthday. Essentially, the reduction means Sharapova will miss only four Grand Slam events (plus the Olympics), as opposed to the eight originally decreed.Tennis is my passion and I have missed it, she said in a statement. I am counting the days until I can return to the court.Here is a likely timeline for that keenly anticipated moment:Sharapova was ranked No. 5 among WTA players when she lost to then-No. 1 Serena Williams at Januarys Australian Open and is currently No. 95. But since Sharapova will not have earned any ranking points over the previous 52 weeks, she will be starting from zero. As a former major champion, however, she can receive unlimited wild cards from tournaments.Because of what Shriver calls maybe unprecedented coverage, there should be no shortage of those offers.With an April 25 start date, Sharapova will miss one of her most successful tournaments, Stuttgart, where she won three titles in a four-year span. The next event on the WTA schedule begins May 1, in Prague, the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic. This is also a smaller International tournament, carrying a minimum purse of $250,000 that she has never played. That is followed May 8 by Madrid, a larger (Premier Mandatory) event, Rome (May 15, Premier 5) and the clay season culminates with the French Open, beginning May 22.Its reasonable to assume shell play at least two of those clay tournaments leading to Roland Garros. Early in her career, Sharapova struggled on clay but eventually came to terms with the slippery surface and won the French Open in 2012 and 2014 -- the only major shes won twice.With that schedule, it will be tough to be ready [to win] the French, Shriver conceded.Gilbert thinks there will be some rust, physically and mentally.If you look over last few years, she never played a lot, Gilbert said. You dont know how long it will take her to find her rhythm. Mentally, this had to be tough, because unlike injury or maternity leave, you know you should be out there playing.I think she gets herself into shape in 2017, pulls her ranking back up and is in position to contend in 2018.Sharapova, the No. 1-ranked player five different times for total of 22 weeks, is one of only 10 women to complete the career Grand Slam. Viewing the glass half full, one could argue that the 15-month layoff can only help an athlete that faced career-threatening shoulder surgery in 2008 and missed nearly 10 months. After she returned, with a ranking that dipped as low as No. 126, Sharapova won 16 titles, including those two French Opens.Monica Seles came back from a 2?-year absence following a stabbing and almost immediately made the finals of the US Open and won the following year in Melbourne. But she was only 21 when she began her comeback.Gilbert, former coach of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, is leaning toward a glass-half-empty scenario.Shes resilient, and the one thing that will motivate her more than anything is people thinking she cant do it, he said. But I think [the layoff] puts a serious damper on her chances of winning majors again.Shriver cites the experience of Serena Williams, who missed back-to-back Slams in 2006 and three in a row from 2010-11 and rallied famously.Williams won nine Grand Slam singles titles after she turned 30, the age Sharapova will be when she comes back this spring.Maria is more than five years younger than Serena, Shriver said. Shell be viable as soon as she comes back.In an era when [Angelique] Kerber won two Slams and [Garbine] Muguruza won the French, absolutely. Shell look at this year as an opportunity lost.You wont have to wait until next May to see Sharapova back in action.Shes scheduled to be on the court at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas next Monday as part of the WTTs Smash Hits, a charity exhibition hosted by Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John. Yes, Sharapova will join the likes of John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Roddick and others.The WTT will officially announce her participation Wednesday.You didnt think Sharapova would wait the full 15 months to step back into the spotlight, did you? Tug McGraw Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. Marcus Stroman Jersey . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/1150l-tom-seaver-jersey-mets.html . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. CEDAR CITY, Utah -- Jadrian Clark threw a 60-yard pass to Darryl Denby with 31 seconds to play to preserve Weber States unbeaten conference record with a 37-36 win over Southern Utah Saturday night.Clarks game-winning throw capped a fourth-quarter rally that brought the Wildcats (5-2, 4-0 Big Sky) back from a 23-point deficit.Earlier, Stefan Cantwell ran for a 10-yard touchdown and Clark threw an 11-yard score to Andrew Vollert to close the Southern Utah lead to 36-30 with 2:21 remaining.Clark had 436 yards and four touchhdowns on 31-of-52 passing. Tim Teufel Jersey. . Haini Moimoi had 126 yards receiving and Denby 90 yards and a score. Jacob DeMaios 91-yard punt in the first quarter set a new school record.Southern Utahs Patrick Tyler threw for two touchdowns in the first half and ran for another to help the Thunderbirds (3-4, 2-3) to a 23-6 halftime lead.Tyler had 239 yards and two scores passing and two rushing TDs. ' ' '