Vondrousova launches defence in dope-test incident

Former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova said that an unexpected  night-time door knock from a stranger was enough to prevent her from allowing what turned out to be a drug-test official from administering an out-of-competition test.

As a result, the Czech lifted the All England Club trophy in 2023 is now facing up to a four-year ban for failing to allow a mandatory player drug test.

Vondrousova, ranked 46th, last played in Adelaide in January and has since been dealing with injury and mental stress, said she was fearful of letting the unknown official into her home, citing the case of fellow Czech Petra Kvitova.

The fellow Wimbledon champion suffered knife wounds on her hands and arms during a 2020 home invasion, leaving her compatriot fearful of a similar situation.

Tennis anti-doping bosses suggest that Vondrousova could face a hefty ban if found guilty of avoiding the testing regime during the incident last December.  

Vondrousova laid out her defence in a social media post:

“For a long time, I’ve been dealing with injury, constant pressure, and ongoing sleep issues that left me feeling exhausted and fragile.

“It slowly wore me down more than I probably realised at the time. And on top of that, years of hateful messages and threats have affected how safe I feel in my own space.

“When someone rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves or following protocol, I reacted as a person who felt scared.

“In that moment, it was about feeling safe, not about avoiding anything. Experts confirmed I suffered an Acute Stress Reaction (F43.0) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (F41.1).

“In that moment, fear clouded my judgement and I just could not process the situation rationally. After what happened to Petra, we don’t take strangers at our door lightly.”

Main photo:- Marketa Vondrousova won Wimbledon 2023 – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd