Maria Sharapova has announced she will not seek a wild card entry to the main Wimbledon draw and intends to try and progress through qualifying for the grand slam event. 

The Russian returned to competitive action in April after serving a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open.

A five-time slam winner, the 30-year-old was denied a wildcard entry to next month's French Open but will not be relying on that route to try and claim a berth at the All England Club in July.

"Because of my improved ranking after the first three tournaments of my return, I will… be playing the qualifying of Wimbledon in Roehampton, and will not be requesting a wild card into the main draw," Sharapova, who withdrew from this week's Italian Open with a thigh injury, wrote on her website.

"I have already started getting treatment on the injury I sustained a few days ago in Rome, and will begin my preparation as soon I get better."

Sharapova won her first grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2004, surprising Serena Williams in the final. After her French Open snub, Sharapova was granted a wildcard to compete in the AEGON Classic in Birmingham next month.