Maria Sharapova's legal team on Tuesday filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland against her two-year doping ban. 
CAS has agreed to make a ruling by July 18 and thus ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 
Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova is seeking the annulment of the International Tennis Federation tribunal's ban after the Russian tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January, reported German Press Agency dpa. 
"Ms Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced," CAS said in a statement. 
CAS says both sides agreed to an "expedited procedure" and the court would decide by July 18. It has not decided whether to hold a hearing or not, it said. 
One of the highest profile women in world sport was slapped with a two-year sanction by the London-based International Tennis Federation after testing positive in January for the now-banned medicine meldonium - perfectly legal until January 1.

Source: QNA