Marketa Vondrousova has been sidelined for the next four years, after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) suspended the 2023 Wimbledon champion for refusing an anti-doping test.
The incident occurred in December, when a drug tester showed up at Vondrousova's home. The Czech tennis star said the random visit caused an "acute stress reaction." She later claimed that fear for her safety clouded her judgement, leading her to refuse the test.
She also stated the drug tester arrived outside her specified testing window, and did not properly identify themselves.
The ITIA held a hearing in April 2026, with an independent tribunal handing down the four-year suspension.
"Unpredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport," the ITIA said. "This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk."
Under ITIA anti-doping rules, a refused test carries the same penalty as a positive result. Vondrousova cannot participate in, coach at, or attend events sanctioned by the ITF, WTA, ATP, Grand Slams, or any other national association during her suspension — meaning fans checking tennis scores today won't see her name on draws for years.
Vondrousova became the first-ever unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in 2023, claiming her only Grand Slam title. She has subsequently reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals since, but failed to advance further.
