Billie Jean King, Russian lollipop maker defend Sharapova

In the wake of her meldonium-catalyzed departure from active play, defenders of Maria Sharapova range from Billie Jean King to a Russian lollipop maker. King tweeted this week, in part, "It's important we let the process take place before we jump to conclusions."

Current WTA tour players—including Venus and Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard and Svetlana Kuznetsova—have offered their takes on Sharapova's situation over the past 10 days.

Meanwhile, Rubis Cookies, a Russian candy maker, has joined other companies in that country in backing Sharapova. Her other corporate backers include Tinkoff, a bank, and Kvass, a traditional soft drink, both of which have publicly sought to begin sponsorship deals with the star.

Rubis Cookies opted to show its support in a way that is obvious and peculiar. The company created a Sharapova-inspired lollipop that bears her press-conference likeness, and has stated on social media that "Russians do not toss their own aside." The company has also taken shots at Nike and Porsche for turning their backs, in its estimation, on a to-date heralded endorser of their products, not necessarily taking into account that such iconic, outsized corporations are constantly playing a high-stakes reputation game.

A note accompanying each Rubis Cookies lollipop boasts that it’s "100 percent Sharapova, meldonium free," in reference to the medication that precipitated her impending ban from the sport.

With a defender like that, who needs a defense? Even so, should Sharapova's own candy brand experience a sugar-meets-profit crash, it would seem she'd have a sweets deal to fall back on.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9.