Former Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová was banned for four years – here’s the reason

Markéta Vondroušová (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, file) NEW DELHI: Former Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondrousova has been banned for four years after refusing to undergo a doping test at her home in December 2025. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said that an independent court found the Czech player guilty of violating anti-doping rules. Her suspension will last until June 21, 2030, although she has the option of appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Vondrous, who made history by becoming the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in 2023, said the incident came at a difficult time in her life and linked her actions to her mental health issues.“It’s very difficult for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with you about my mental health,” Vondrous said. “The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.The 26-year-old previously said she refused the test due to “mental stress” and fear when the test official “rang me late at night without properly identifying herself”.According to the ITIA, Vondrous “failed to submit a Doping Commissioner (DCO) notification sample during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home around 8:00 p.m. on 3 December 2025.”Vondrous was represented by lawyer Howard Jacobs, who previously helped Simona Halep reduce her own four-year ban. The Czech star has now joined the list of leading players linked to doping cases in recent years, which include Halepová, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.The decision came just a few days before the start of Wimbledon.