Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick Disappointed by Vondroušová's Defence in Doping Case

Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has admitted he's disappointed with the defence mounted by Czech tennis player Markéta Vondroušová, who was handed a four-year ban in June for refusing to undergo a doping control test in December. According to him, the newly released details of the ITIA investigation actually work against the player ahead of her upcoming appeal.

The suspension initially sent shockwaves through the tennis world, with numerous sports stars rallying behind the 2023 Wimbledon champion. "I'm firmly on Markéta's side and I hope she gets cleared," Roddick himself said back in the summer.

What Changed After the Report Was Published

A few days ago, the ITIA released a detailed 58-page report on the investigation. Among other things, the document states that Vondroušová sent her partner a WhatsApp message with harsh words about the doping control officer. She later met with that same officer outside her home — while walking her dog — despite the officer having tried repeatedly to reach her by phone beforehand.

"At first I really was on her side and thought she'd been treated too harshly. But building your defence around 'I was too scared to open the door, then went for a dog walk and signed the form'... it's all just strange. It disappointed me a bit, honestly. I think that kind of defence only hurt her," Roddick said on the latest episode of his podcast, Served.

"We might have plenty of gripes about how the ITIA operates, but rules are rules, and it's worth noting the investigation really was thorough — the final report ran to 58 pages," the former world No. 1 added.

83 Tests Without a Single Miss

According to the ITIA, Vondroušová has undergone 83 doping tests over the course of her career and had never missed one before. That fact reportedly played a significant role in the agency's decision on the length of the ban. As Roddick's co-host Michael Hayden pointed out, a player with that many tests under her belt clearly knows how the process works — yet the ITIA claims Vondroušová called her agent, who, like her, apparently didn't realise testing could happen outside pre-scheduled windows.

"Right now, the chances of getting the ban reduced don't look great. This whole situation just leaves a bad taste," Roddick admitted.

The 2023 Wimbledon champion is planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) — according to the BBC, she has until August 11 to file, when the deadline expires. If the appeal fails, the ban will run until June 21, 2030, by which point Vondroušová will be 31. "It looks like her career might be over," Roddick concluded.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz