was suspended for four years on Monday for refusing an anti-doping test.
The Czech cited 鈥渕ental stress鈥� and fear when the testing agent 鈥渞ang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves.鈥�
The International Tennis Integrity Agency made the announcement, saying Vondrousova refused a test in December and the maximum four-year ban for a routine first offense was reached by an independent tribunal following a hearing this month.
Vondrousova became Wimbledon鈥檚 first unseeded female champion when she beat Ons Jabeur in the 2023 final. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 that year. She also reached the French Open final in 2019, losing to Ash Barty.
The 26-year-old Vondrousova detailed her reaction to the missed test in in April.
鈥淚t is very tough for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with you about my mental health,鈥� Vondrousova said. 鈥淭he recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.鈥�
The ITIA said Vondrousova 鈥渄id not submit a sample when notified by a Doping Control Officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home at around 8 p.m. on 3 December 2025鈥� and that she instead signed a refusal form.
Vondrousova was represented by Los Angeles-based lawyer Howard Jacobs, a specialist in doping rules cases. Jacobs helped two-time Grand Slam singles champion win an appeal case in 2024 at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a four-year ban for doping.
Vondrousova becomes the latest high-profile tennis player involved in a doping case after Halep, and .
Sinner accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency at the start of last year and Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension at the end of 2024.
Halep, Sinner and Swiatek each proved they were not entirely responsible for their positive tests.
鈥淲e recognize this is a significant ban,鈥� ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have an anti-doping system where a player is in a better place by refusing to take a test than they would by taking a test and testing positive. So that feeds into the structure of the doping rules that provides for a starting point in the four-year ban for refusing to take a test.鈥�
Vondrousova鈥檚 ban expires June 21, 2030. She can appeal the decision to the Switzerland-based CAS.
During a hearing before the tribunal, Vondrousova presented explanations that stress and poor mental health affected her decision making, in addition to concerns for her safety because she claimed the tester did not identity herself.
The tribunal also took testimony from the doping control officer and concluded the evidence offered 鈥渘o compelling justification鈥� for the test refusal.
Tennis players and other pro athletes are required by anti-doping rules to specify where they will be available for a one-hour period each day to give samples for testing.
The female testing agent showed up at Vondrousova鈥檚 home outside the assigned hour that the player signed up for that day 鈥� in a surprise test. Athletes are required to submit for testing if they are located for a surprise test outside their assigned hour. If they are not found when a tester shows up outside assigned hours, there is no sanction.
鈥淯npredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport,鈥� Moorhouse said. 鈥淭he independent tribunal ultimately supported that principle. This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk.鈥�
The ITIA would not say if any inconsistencies were found in Vondrousova’s previous anti-doping history.
鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 disclose that,鈥� said Nicole Sapstead, the ITIA’s senior director of anti-doping, adding: 鈥淲e look at all things like that.鈥�
Vondrousova, ranked 122, hasn’t played since January.
Wimbledon starts next week.
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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.
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