Sharapova to appeal 'unfairly harsh' ban

Russian tennis superstar Maria Sharapova on Wednesday vowed to appeal a two-year doping ban that looks certain to end one of sport's most high-profile careers.

Sharapova, 29, tested positive for the controversial banned medication meldon - ium during January's Australian Open.

A statement by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said "an independent tribunal found that Maria Sharapova committed an anti-doping rule violation" and consequently had "disqualified the affected results and imposed a period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on 26 January, 2016".