06/22/26 09:44:00
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06/22 09:43 CDT Former Wimbledon champion Vondrousova suspended 4 years for
refusing doping test
Former Wimbledon champion Vondrousova suspended 4 years for refusing doping test
LONDON (AP) --- Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was suspended for
four years on Monday for refusing an anti-doping test --- even though the Czech
player cited "mental stress" and fear when the testing agent "rang my door late
at night without properly identifying themselves."
The International Tennis Integrity Agency made the announcement, saying that
Vondrousova refused a test in December, and that the decision was reached by an
independent tribunal.
Vondrousova became Wimbledon's first unseeded female champion when she beat Ons
Jabeur in the 2023 title match. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 that
year.
The 26-year-old Vondrousova detailed her reaction to the missed test in an
Instagram post in April.
"It is very tough for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with
you about my mental health," Vondrousova said. "The recent doping control
incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical
and mental stress."
The ITIA said Vondrousova "did not submit a sample when notified by a Doping
Control Officer (DCO) during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home at
around 8 p.m. on 3 December 2025."
Vondrousova was represented by Los Angeles-based lawyer Howard Jacobs, a
specialist in doping rules cases. Jacobs helped two-time Grand Slam singles
champion Halep win an appeal case in 2024 at CAS against a four-year ban for
doping.
Vondrousova becomes the latest high-profile tennis player involved in a doping
case after Halep, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.
Vondrousova's ban expires June 21, 2030. She can appeal the decision to the
Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Wimbledon starts next week.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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