Serena Williams launched a sharp critique of tennis' anti-doping system on the eve of her Wimbledon return, describing the rules as 'unprofessional,' 'unreasonable,' and 'grueling.' The 23-time Grand Slam champion, now 44, returned to the testing pool before announcing her comeback and expressed frustration with the requirements during a press conference on Sunday.
Williams Cites Family and Business Burdens
Williams, a mother of two and founder of a venture capital firm, emphasized the difficulty of complying with the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) whereabouts rules. 'It's grueling. They changed the rules now. I didn't know some of the rules. So apparently if you miss a test outside of your window, it still counts as missed. I'm like, I guess I can't go pick up my kids,' she said. She added, 'It's unprofessional. I hate it. I think it's necessary, but I think a lot of the stuff, if I want to go places outside of my window, I should be able to go without having it count as a missed test.'
The seven-time Wimbledon champion noted that the anti-doping system was a major deterrent to her return. 'That was a big reason why I didn't want to come back either, because it's just so hard. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I run a VC company, I travel the world. I have children. It's like I could be in so many different cities so many different times,' she explained.
ITIA Defends Rules Amid Recent Suspensions
The ITIA responded to Williams' comments, stating that the whereabouts rules have remained unchanged for several years. 'If a tester is unable to reach a player during their allocated hour, then it may well be a strike, and three failures could lead to a charge. If a tester is unable to reach a player outside of their allocated hour, it is not considered a strike,' the agency told the Associated Press. The ITIA added, 'There have been no changes to the whereabouts rules in the last few years. We understand the system can seem challenging, but it is there to protect players, not to trip them up.'
The issue gained prominence last week when 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova received a four-year suspension for refusing an anti-doping test. In 2023, American player Jenson Brooksby was banned for 18 months after an independent tribunal found he had missed three drug tests within a year.
Williams Returns to Wimbledon After Four Years
Williams will play her first Wimbledon match since 2022 on Tuesday against Maya Joint. She made her competitive return earlier this month in a doubles match at the Queen's Club grass-court tournament. Despite her criticism, Williams expressed willingness to comply with testing. 'I've always been very clear about what I do,' she said. 'Just getting in that routine of, all right, first of all, learning the new rules, then just getting back and reporting every day. I guess now for 24 hours where I'm going to be is just different - at least for me. I don't know if that works for everyone else.'
