Tennis legend Serena Williams has criticized the game’s anti-doping protocol ahead of her Wimbledon return, saying the system is “unprofessional” and “unreasonable.”
The 44-year-old, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, returned to the test group before she could announce her return to professional tennis.
“It’s exhausting. Now they have changed the rules,” Williams said at a press conference before Wimbledon.
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“I didn’t know some of the rules. So obviously, if you miss a test outside the window, it will still count as missed.
“I was like, ‘I don’t think I can take my kids.’
“This is unprofessional. I hate this. I think it’s necessary, but I think a lot of it is: If I want to go somewhere outside the window, I should be able to go without it being counted as a missed test.”
Williams’ first match at Wimbledon since 2022 will take place on Wednesday morning EST when she takes on Australian team Maya Joint.
She returned to professional tennis earlier this month, taking part in a doubles match at the Queen’s Club grass tournament.
The anti-doping protocol came under the spotlight last week when Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, was banned for four years for refusing to take a test.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) requires players to report their “whereabouts” daily for testing without notice.
Serena Williams returned to the WTA tournament at Queen’s earlier this month. (Getty Images: Paul Harding)
Williams called the measure “unreasonable.”
“That was a big reason why I didn’t want to go back,” she said.
“Because it’s so difficult. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I run a venture capital firm, I travel the world. I have children.
“It’s like I could be in different cities at different times.”
But the ITIA responded to Williams’ comments by saying the rules had remained unchanged for several years.
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“If a tester fails to contact a player within the allotted hour, then this may well be a ‘strike’ and three failures may result in a charge,” ITIA said in a statement.
“If a tester is unable to contact a player after the allotted hour, it is not considered a strike.”
In 2023, Jenson Brooksby was given an 18-month ban after an independent tribunal found he had missed three drug tests during the year.
Under anti-doping rules, athletes can be fined without testing positive if they have three “failures to locate” within 12 months.
“There have been no changes to the location rules over the past few years,” ITIA added in its statement.
“We understand that the system may seem complex, but it is designed to protect players, not trip them up.
“If players are unsure or have questions, we are happy to speak with them directly or through their agents.”
Williams, who has previously criticized the frequency of anti-doping tests, said she was ready to comply.
AP