Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been charged with refusing a doping test, revealing she suffered an Acute Stress Reaction during the December incident. The 26-year-old Czech said she had 'reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.'
According to Vondrousova, a doping control officer arrived at her home at 8:15 pm demanding an immediate test. She described it as a 'serious intrusion into my privacy,' adding that years of hateful messages and threats had affected her sense of safety. 'When someone rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves or following protocol — I reacted as a person who felt scared,' she wrote on Instagram.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed an investigation is underway and that Vondrousova has been charged with refusing a test, but is not serving a mandatory provisional suspension. 'At this stage, we are not able to comment any further on the specifics,' the ITIA said.
Vondrousova has not played since the Adelaide International in January and withdrew from the Australian Open due to a shoulder injury. She is listed for the Madrid Open starting 21 April. Experts confirmed she suffers from Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and she cited the 2016 attack on compatriot Petra Kvitova as a reason for her fear: 'After what happened to Petra, we don't take strangers at our door lightly.'
Several players, including Linda Noskova and Ons Jabeur, expressed support. The Berlin Open, which Vondrousova won last year, wrote: 'We'll miss you on court but your mental health and healing always comes first!'
