Tennis players are speaking out about their experiences with anti-doping testing, with some describing the process as grueling and others feeling pushed around by testers. Coco Gauff, the No. 7 seed, said she was brought to tears by a pushy anti-doping tester who contacted her outside of her designated time slot.

Player Experiences

Ajla Tomljanovic described her own close calls with the system, saying she was scared of the system because it feels broken. She had a few experiences where she was unsure about the technicalities of the testing process and felt that the people in charge were not helpful. Tomljanovic was seeking help about how the app works and was worried about accidentally missing a test or testing positive.

Serena Williams, who makes her Wimbledon return, said the testing system was a big reason why she didn’t want to come back, because it’s just so hard. The system requires players to provide a 60-minute time slot each day to be available for testing, and if a doping control officer locates and notifies a player outside of that hour, they must complete the test.

The Vondrousova Case

The case of Marketa Vondrousova, who received a four-year ban for refusing to take a test, has brought attention to the system. Vondrousova had described the tester as aggressive and said the frequent ringing of the intercom triggered a state of distress. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) noted that under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, test refusals can be sanctioned as severely as positive tests.

Some players, including Jessica Pegula, feel that the four-year ban is harsh. Pegula said she didn’t know the full details of Vondrousova’s case but felt that the sentencing was unfair. The ITIA understands that the system can seem challenging but says it is in place to protect players, not to trip them up.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.