Marketa Vondrousova faces criticism over strict doping ban terms

Former World No. 6 Marketa Vondrousova is serving a four-year ban imposed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after refusing an out-of-competition doping test in December 2025. While Vondrousova claimed she suffered an ‘acute stress reaction’ and feared for her safety during the test, an independent tribunal rejected her explanation.

The ban includes a total prohibition from participating in or being present at professional tennis tournaments. Vondrousova recently shared that these restrictions have severely impacted her personal life, noting that she is unable to support her boyfriend, professional player Andrew Paulson, at events and must remain in hotel rooms rather than attending courts or practice sessions.

Rennae Stubbs, a former world No. 1 in doubles and coach to Serena Williams, has criticized the severity of the restrictions. Stubbs described the terms as ‘ridiculous,’ suggesting that the inability to enter tennis grounds or support peers is excessive, stating, ‘You might as well put her in jail.’