Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been suspended from tennis for four years for refusing an anti-doping test.
An independent tribunal concluded there was "no compelling justification" for the 26-year-old Czech to have not submitted a sample when notified by a doping control officer, out of competition and at her home, on the night of December 3, 2025.
Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion and 2020 Olympic Silver medallist, is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by the ITF, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association until 21 June 2030.
International Tennis Integrity Agency (ATIA) chief Karen Moorhouse said: "We understand that the testing process is uncomfortable, and acknowledge that it is an additional burden for players whose jobs already come with a high level of pressure and scrutiny, but it is essential to protect fair competition.
"Unpredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport.
"The independent tribunal ultimately supported that principle. This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk."
According to an ATIA statement, Vondrousova, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of No 6 in September 2023, claimed during the hearing that "stress and poor mental health had affected her decision making, in addition to concerns for her safety".
The statement continued: "The tribunal considered this in their decision, as well as testimony from the Doping Control Officer who attempted to conduct the test, and concluded that the evidence offered 'no compelling justification' for the test refusal."
Vondrousova, as well as ATIA and the National Anti-Doping Organisation, have the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Vondrousova took to social media to make a statement, which read: "I have never doped. I have never had a positive test. Throughout my entire career, I have undergone countless anti-doping controls and have always stepped onto the court with a clear conscience. Just three days after the incident that ultimately changed my life, I was tested again. The result was negative. Just like every test before it.
"The past seven months have been the hardest of my life. Seven months of waiting. Seven months of uncertainty. Seven months of fighting… I cooperated. I answered every question. I provided everything that was asked of me…
"This entire process changed me. The sleepless nights. The anxiety. The days when it was difficult to function normally.
"Professional sport means accepting rules and controls. I have always respected them, and I understand why they exist. I only wish that they never lose their humanity and that those responsible for enforcing the rules are held to the same standards. There were many moments when I felt I no longer had the strength to continue. That is why I am proud that we never gave up and fought until the very last day for what we believed in.
"Today, however I cannot say what comes next. The last seven months have left marks that will not disappear overnight. They took away my joy, my confidence, and the sense of security I once had. And I honestly do not know how long it will take to find those things again.
"For the first time in my life, I do not have a plan. For the first time in my life, I do not know where the road head leads… they changed me.
"Even though this chapter ends with more pain than I ever imagined, it does not erase who I am, what I believe in, or everything I gave to this sport."
Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, live on Your Site or and the , giving Your Site customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.
