Serena Williams during a training session. (AP photo)
Serena Williams has hit out at tennis’ anti-doping system ahead of her long-awaited return to Wimbledon, describing parts of the current testing protocol as “unprofessional” and “unreasonable” while admitting the rules had almost convinced her not to return to professional tennis.The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who re-entered a pool of anti-doping tests before her return was confirmed, said adhering to the latest requirements for her whereabouts was one of the most difficult aspects of returning to the Tour.
“It’s stressful,” Williams said ahead of her first Wimbledon appearance since 2022. “They’ve changed the rules now. I didn’t know some of the rules.”“Apparently, if you miss a test outside your window, it will still be considered missed.
“I guess I can’t go get my kids.”The 44-year-old, a mother of two, is scheduled to face Maya Joynt in the opening round on Tuesday after making her competitive return earlier this month in doubles at Queen’s Club.
“I hate it…it’s unreasonable.”
While acknowledging the importance of anti-doping measures, Williams questioned the way the current system affects players who lead busy lives off the field.“It’s unprofessional. I hate it,” she said. “I think it’s necessary, but I think in a lot of things, if I want to go places outside my window, I should be able to go without it being considered a missed test.”
Williams went on to reveal that strict testing procedures were one of the biggest reasons for delaying her return to tennis.“That was a big reason why I didn’t want to go back either, because it’s so hard. I mean, my life is busy. I run a company, I run a venture capital firm, I travel the world. I have kids. It’s like I could be in so many different cities at different times,” she said.“It’s unconscionable,” Williams added, describing the system in one word.
ITIA responds to Serena’s criticism
Williams’ comments come just days after 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was banned for four years for refusing an anti-doping test, putting tennis’ testing system under the spotlight once again.However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) questioned Williams’ suggestion that the rules had recently changed.The administrative body said in a statement that “there have been no changes in the venue rules in the past few years.”The ITIA has made it clear that missing a test outside of a player’s allotted one-hour testing period does not constitute a strike, while failing to report one’s whereabouts three times within a 12-month period can result in anti-doping charges even without a positive test.Despite her frustration, Williams insisted she always supports clean sport and remains committed to complying with the rules.“I’ve always been very clear about what I’m doing,” she said. “Just getting into that routine of, well, first of all, learning the new rules, and then coming back and reporting every day. I think where I’m going to be now for 24 hours is completely different — at least for me. I don’t know if that works for everyone.”