Markéta Vondroušová charged with refusing doping test after ‘acute stress reaction’

Former Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová could face a ban of up to four years after being charged with refusing a doping test by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

An ITIA spokesperson confirmed Friday afternoon via text message that Vondroušová, currently ranked No. 46, is “under investigation” for an incident that took place in early December. Both sides are currently submitting evidence ahead of a hearing, with Vondroušová’s lawyer, Jan Exner, saying via text message on Friday that he and his client were “certain that once the full context is understood, her name will be cleared.”

Vondroušová is free to play while under investigation, but the maximum punishment is a four-year suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Protocol (TADP).

Earlier on Friday afternoon, Vondroušová, who won Wimbledon in 2023 but hasn’t played a WTA Tour match since January because of injury, issued a statement on Instagram detailing how a random visit from a doping control official caused an “acute stress reaction” which, she said, prevented her from thinking clearly.

“The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress,” she said.

She added that “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.O) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (F41.1). In that moment, fear clouded my judgment and i just couldn’t process the situation rationally. After what happened to Petra (Kvitová, the fellow Czech Wimbledon champion who was stabbed in her own home 10 years ago), we don’t take strangers at our door lightly.”

Vondroušová, who in another social media post at the time described the incident as a “serious intrusion into my privacy,” said Friday that she was “still working to clear my name.”

The ITIA spokesperson said in response that: “We are aware of the player’s comments. We can confirm that an investigation is underway and the player has been charged with refusing a test. At this stage, we are not able to comment any further on the specifics.”

Vondroušová’s lawyer Exner said that: “For years, Markéta has quietly endured toxic harassment, death threats, and the physical toll of chronic sleep deprivation. This situation was a breaking point.

“The combination of this long-term burden and a doping control encounter that failed to follow standard safety and identification protocols triggered a medically documented Acute Stress Reaction. In that moment, the process simply couldn’t be completed. Markéta takes her professional responsibilities very seriously, but she is a human being, not a machine. We are certain that once the full context is understood, her name will be cleared.”

A date has not been set for the hearing. The case revolves around tennis’ whereabouts rules, which state that for every day of the year, a player must give a location and time slot when they can be tested. Refusing one, or failing to update one’s whereabouts three times within 12 months lead to a player being sanctioned.

Vondroušová said in December that the tester arrived outside of the testing window she had given, and also failed to identify themselves. In addition to their whereabouts submissions, players can also be randomly tested at any time according to the TADP.

The ITIA spokesperson said that this is because the organization wants the testing program to be unpredictable.

During an interview last year, the ITIA’s chief executive Karen Moorhouse said that generally, one of the minimum of three tests they do on each player per year will be outside the designated window.

The World Anti-Doping (WADA) Code states that the ITIA has to test outside of the hour a certain number of times, the ITIA spokesperson said. WADA spokesperson James Fitzgerald said via email last year: “The point of out-of-competition testing is that it is a surprise. Sample collection can take place outside the times given (within certain parameters that respect reasonable access and privacy concerns).”

Numerous players told The Athletic last year that while they understood why drugs testing had to be so strict, the protocols led to feelings of paranoia, anxiety and stress.

Former world No. 5 Andrey Rublev said they “can drive you crazy”. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka called them “really scary”; Ons Jabeur, who Vondroušová beat in the 2023 Wimbledon final, said she’d been “traumatised” by them.

Vondroušová spoke in her post on Friday about the mental and physical challenges she has been facing generally, writing that: “It is very tough for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with you about my mental health. The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.”

Vondroušová has been unfortunate with injuries in recent years. After a stunning win over current world No. 2 Elena Rybakina at last year’s U.S. Open, she aggravated a knee injury hours before her quarterfinal against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Before that, she feared her career was over following shoulder surgery in 2024, which left her unable to swing a racket. She returned to tennis, but kept suffering setbacks.

Exner said in his statement Friday that: “Markéta is showing immense courage by speaking out about the overwhelming pressure that players often face in professional tennis.”

Vondroušová played her first match in three months last weekend, partnering Tereza Valentová in a doubles rubber during Czechia’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against Switzerland. She hinted at taking a break from the sport in her post, but Exner said she was planning on playing the Madrid Open, which starts April 21.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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