Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been handed a four-year suspension after refusing to take an anti-doping test at her home in December 2025.
The ruling was announced after an independent tribunal concluded that the Czech player had no compelling justification for denying a doping control officer access to conduct the test. Under anti-doping rules, refusing a test carries the same starting sanction as testing positive for a banned substance.
Safety concerns rejected
Vondrousova argued that she feared for her safety when the officer arrived late at night and claimed proper identification procedures were not followed. She also told the tribunal that stress and mental health struggles had affected her judgement at the time.
However, the tribunal rejected those arguments and determined that the former Wimbledon champion’s refusal constituted a violation of anti-doping regulations.
Ban runs until 2030
The suspension imposed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will remain in effect until 21 June 2030.
Vondrousova has the right to challenge the decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse said athlete testing is essential to maintaining integrity in the sport and stressed that testers are trained professionals who carry identification and can be independently verified by players.
Fall from Wimbledon glory
Vondrousova made tennis history in 2023 when she became the first unseeded woman to win the singles title at The Championships, Wimbledon, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final.
Now ranked 122nd in the world, the 26-year-old faces a lengthy absence from the sport unless a successful appeal overturns the decision. The ban represents one of the most significant disciplinary actions involving a former Grand Slam champion in recent years.
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