Rome: Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has been given a wildcard to play in the Italian Open in May, organisers said on Tuesday. The former world No.1 makes her return to the circuit in Stuttgart in April after completing a 15-month ban for doping.

Maria has got the wildcard at a time when men's No.1 Andy Murray has spoken against giving wild cards to players returning from doping bans.

"We officially announce the wild card for the three-time Rome champion @MariaSharapova into the main draw ... " the organisers of Italian Open announced on Twitter.

Maria hasn't played on tour since testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. An initial two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Rome tournament runs from May 15 to May 21. She has also been handed a wildcard for the May 6-13 Madrid Open and the meet in Stuttgart.

Murray, who is currently playing at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, has said that he understands why tournament organisers make an exception for "big names" when they are returning from doping bans.

With Maria's ban ending in April, Wimbledon organisers are grappling with the potential dilemma of whether to hand the 2004 champion a place in this year's competition in July.

"I think you should really have to work your way back. However, the majority of tournaments are going to do what they think is best for their event," Murray told a British daily.

"If they think having big names there is going to sell more seats, then they're going to do that. She (Sharapova) has an opportunity to try to improve her ranking up until that point and potentially not need a wild card."

"But then if she doesn't, that becomes the Wimbledon's decision and how they want to play that," added the Briton.

"I'm sure they'll think long and hard about it and how they feel people will view it and then make the right decision for them.

"The male players can't influence what can happen on the WTA tour," Murray, an ATP player council member, said. "What we can do is discuss it on the ATP tour at the player council meetings and put something in place."

To earn a place at Wimbledon by right, Maria would need about 600 ranking points from the 2,370 available in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome, which would probably mean having to reach two semi-finals from the three events. However, it is also a fact that as a former world No. 1 and Grand Slam champion, Maria can apply for an unlimited number of wild cards.

The report in the British daily referred a source in the All England Club to say that a decision will not be taken before May 22. "A source close to the All England Club insists that a decision will not be taken before May 22, the day on which the rankings list will be used to determine direct entries for the tournament. It is understood that the preference would be for Sharapova to qualify by right, meaning that there would be no need for the tournament committee to make such a tricky call," the report said.

But Maria will definitely require a wild card to compete at the French Open as the entry deadline falls before her comeback date.

Maria's representatives have approached tournaments that are part of the British grass-court season, which creates another dilemma for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which runs these events. The LTA may find it uncomfortable to do anything other than follow the All England Club's lead if it decides not to give her a wild card.