Sawt Falasteen - Lawyer says Vondrousova 'should appeal' against four-year ban

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) blames the 26-year-old Czech for failing to open her door to an anti-doping officer in December 2025.

The 2023 Wimbledon winner claimed in April she was scared when the officer rang the bell "without properly identifying themselves or following protocol".

"This decision will ultimately be Marketa's, of course, but from the beginning I've been advising her that I think she should appeal, that she should fight, because in my view it shouldn't end with this kind of career‑destroying sanction," her lawyer Jan Exner told AFP.

"So I'll recommend it to her again, but the final decision will be hers."

Exner also suggested that if the ban stays in place, it could mean Vondrousova stepping away from the game.

"When you get four years for doping, it's an idea that pretty much has to cross your mind, because it's basically a career‑ending punishment," he said.

"Yeah, and the statistics are such that the vast majority of athletes never come back from this kind of ban. So it basically amounts to a lifetime ban.

"But of course I hope it won't turn out that way and that Marketa will keep fighting."

In an interview with The Times, published on Thursday, Vondrousova admitted she has been left "completely broken" by the decision.

"I immediately started to cry," said Vondrousova.

"Like, what the hell? How can the this be? It's like you have no power over anything. I told the truth, but one side of the story was heard and it's not mine.

"For me, it's career-ending. I'm 27 (on Sunday). It's not like you are 19 or whatever. Overall, four years, it's the craziest thing."

- 'Scared' -

Vondrousova, who has never tested positive for doping, claims the doping control officer failed to show their official ID after ringing her doorbell.

She says she was alone at home and "scared".

"I felt really under pressure and I just panicked," said Vondrousova.

"I decided to go down and check the situation and when I came down in the elevator, she was standing in the middle of an open door.

"I went out and she stepped out as well. She told me, 'You have to do the test. You have to let me in'.

"I was like, 'I don't know you, I've never seen you. I'm scared. I'm not going to let you in.'"

The stand-off continued until Vondrousova agreed to sign the form, she says for her own safety.

The ITIA maintains that Vondrousova came downstairs with her dog and went for a walk once she had signed the form.

"They are saying from our side, everything was OK. She went out with the dog. She signed it. That's it. End of story," she says.

"It's not this easy. We've all been in the hearing and (the officer) admitted everything, so for me, it's really scary."

In a statement to The Times, the ITIA said: "In this specific case, there are clear rules and we were left with no choice but to charge the player after she refused a test."

O.Farraj--SF-PST