Former Wimbledon champion Vondrousova banned for drug test refusal | Tennis news

Marketa Vondrousova, who won Wimbledon in 2023, was banned for four years after refusing to provide samples in December.

Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was banned for four years on Monday for failing a drug test.

Vondrousova did not provide samples after being notified by the doping control officer during a competition test at her home in December 2025.

Recommended Articles

list of 4 itemsend of series

The 26-year-old Czech, who won Wimbledon in 2023, said “months of physical and mental stress” had influenced her decisions, adding to concerns about her safety.

Writing on Instagram in April, Vondrousova said she was scared when the doping officer arrived at her door in the evening “without identifying herself properly or following procedures.

“Back then it was about being safe, not avoiding anything.”

Players must log their whereabouts for a designated hour each day so officials can administer drug tests outside of competition.

An independent court considered Vondroussova’s claims, as well as testimony from a doping control officer who conducted the test.

The court ruled that the evidence was “no valid reason” for the 122nd candidates to refuse the test.

The head of the International Tennis Integrity Agency, Karen Moorhouse said: “We understand that the test is not good, and we accept that it is an additional burden for players whose careers already come with a lot of pressure and scrutiny, but it is necessary to protect fair competition.

“The safety and health of players and testers is very important to us. Our testers are highly trained, professional, and the gender of our testing witness always matches the players.

“They always have ID, and players can verify their identity in other ways if they don’t know.”

Vondrousova’s suspension ends on June 21, 2030.

Vondrousova is considering an appeal

During the suspension, the Czech is not allowed to play, train, or attend any events organized or sanctioned by the ITF, WTA, ATP, Grand Slams, or any other national organization.

Vondrousova will consider the decision before deciding whether to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“Marketa has asked me – and I want to respect their wishes – to stop commenting on this matter,” Vondroussova’s lawyer Jan Exner told AFP.

“Of course, when we get a decision, we will read what we have explained and decide what to do, whether we will appeal or not, but first I want to talk to Marketa and I don’t want to think too deeply.

“I want to respect Marketa’s wishes and I don’t want to go into detail.”

Vondrousova, who has won three WTA Tour titles, became the first unseeded player to qualify for Wimbledon women’s singles when she defeated Ons Jabeur in the final three years ago.

She also reached the final of the French Open in 2019, losing to Ashleigh Barty, and won a silver medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Vondrousova reached the sixth highest position in the WTA rankings in 2023.

She has played just two matches on the WTA Tour this year, having withdrawn from the Adelaide International in January due to a shoulder injury.