2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has opened up on a ‘doping control incident’ (Image: Getty)
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has spoken out about a “doping control incident” in an emotional statement released on social media. In December, the Czech star took to Instagram to hit out at doping protocols when she said a doping control officer came to her apartment outside of her one-hour whereabouts slot, branding this a “serious intrusion into my privacy”.
Vondrousova had not played a match since January as she continues to battle a shoulder injury, but over the weekend, she teamed up with Tereza Valentova in a doubles rubber during Czechia’s Billie Jean King Cup tie against Switzerland. The world No. 46 has since withdrawn from this week’s WTA event in Rouen, and has now taken to Instagram to reveal that she is taking time out to “breathe and recover”.
“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,” the 2023 Wimbledon winner wrote.
“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.”
Vondrousova was referencing an incident in 2016, which saw two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova suffer injuries to her playing hand while defending herself from a knife attack during a “burglary” incident in her home.
Marketa Vondrousova has not played a singles match since January (Image: Getty)
The former world No. 6 will now take a step back from tennis. She continued: “I’m trying to slowly find my way back – both on and off the court. Tennis has always been my world, but right now I’m also focusing on healing and getting through this in the best way I can. I’m still working to clear my name, but at the same time I need to take care of myself. Thank you to my boyfriend, my family, and everyone who has stood by me – it means more than I can explain. For now, I’m taking a bit of time to breathe and recover.”
Vondrousova has already received comments of support from her rivals and colleagues, including Ons Jabeur and Eva Lys. The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist was referring to an incident she spoke about in December, when a “tester” came to her home. Players are required to log their whereabouts for a one-hour slot every day, so they can be tested out of competition. However, these tests can also randomly happen outside of the allotted window.
During the off-season, Vondrousova shared an Instagram story showing a doping control officer at her door, and wrote: “Every day, we are required to be home for one specific hour for doping control. I respect that rule – every single day. Tonight, however, a tester arrived at 8.15pm and told me that my declared time doesn’t matter and that I must be tested right now.
“When I pointed out that it’s outside my testing window and a serious intrusion into my privacy, I was told: ‘This is the life of a professional athlete’. Is it normal for doping officers to sit in our living rooms at night waiting for us to pee? This is not about avoiding testing – it’s about respect. Respect for the rules that we follow, and for the personal life that we’re entitled to after a long day of training and competition. Rules should apply to everyone, even to those enforcing them.”
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has since confirmed to Express Sport that Vondrousova has been charged with refusing a test. This charge does not carry a provisional suspension. A spokesperson said: “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.”
Express Sport has reached out to Marketa Vondrousova’s legal team.
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