Sharapova, who was handed over a 15-month suspension after being tested positive for banned substance meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, will make her return to competitive tennis at the WTA Tour clay-court tournament in Stuttgart Open beginning April 26.
"I think it's a bonus for any tournament. this will draw more spectators, and I'm interested to see as well".
Vinci, 34, said: "She is a great player - I don't have nothing against her".
"It's normal that people talk about her, she's an huge champion, but.to (be) promoting her return to such an extent. I will just play my game, stay focused".
An initial two-year suspension was cut to 15 months and here the 30-year-old is now - without a world ranking, requiring wildcards from tournaments and dividing opinion just as she has done ever since she burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old Wimbledon victor in 2004.
But the three-time victor from 2012-14 was given direct entrance to main draw of the Stuttgart event.
Kerber, the two-time defending champion, is the top-seeded player in Stuttgart.
Sharapova's prospective second-round clash against Poland's Radwanska could be an awkward encounter. Cibulkova pulled out of the event with a right wrist injury.
Vinci became the latest player to voice her concerns on Tuesday, in the process providing further potential spice to a match that is already guaranteed to attract huge media interest. The Russian will next play last year's finalist Laura Siegemund, who defeated Shuai Zhang 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Sharapova was also granted wild cards for tournaments in Madrid and Rome in May, but organizers of the French Open have not decided whether or not to invite Sharapova. Calling perennial Grand Slam contenders Wozniacki and Radwanska "journeyman" players is also a bit of a stretch.
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The first-half was a boring affair with the visitors, not surprisingly, having the lion's share of position but all too often lethargic with their passing.
"It is going to affect Sharapova's seedings in big tournaments so she's still going to pay a penalty for a while".
"I know (Sharapova) is important for the tennis, for the WTA, for everything", Vinci said.
Some of the world's top female players have voiced their opposition to the five-time grand slam victor being allowed to contest the Porsche Grant Prix event as a wild card.
Sharapova, apparently knowing that she can't have the best of both worlds, also recently said her detractors' beef against her was "the least of [her] concerns". "I find that unjust", she told Tennis.com.
Especially now that one of the other marketable athletes - Serena Williams - will miss the rest of the year.
Sharapova, who has titles at all four majors, won at Roland Garros in 2012 and 2014.
"I don't think it's positive for young kids to promote one player who is coming back from doping".
AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed to this report.
Many tennis professionals and commentators have criticized the sport's lenient approach to allow Sharapova to return with the benefits of wild cards as opposed to having to rebuild her career and rankings from scratch - as an initial reported suggested would happen at next month's French Open.





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