Marketa Vondrousova reveals acute stress reaction after doping test
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has revealed she suffered an acute stress reaction during a late-night doping control visit to her home in December.
The 26-year-old Czech player stated the incident occurred because she had reached a breaking point following months of physical and mental exhaustion.
Anti-doping officials arrived unannounced at 20:15 local time demanding an immediate out-of-competition test.
‘Fear clouded my judgment’
The 2023 Grand Slam winner took to social media to explain that years of online abuse had severely affected her sense of personal safety.
She noted that the testing official failed to properly identify themselves or follow standard protocols upon arriving at her residence.
“When someone rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves or following protocol, I reacted as a person who felt scared.”
“In that moment, fear clouded my judgment and I just couldn’t process the situation rationally.”
Shadow of Kvitova attack
The world-class competitor drew direct parallels to the harrowing experience of her compatriot Petra Kvitova.
Kvitova sustained severe injuries to her playing hand during a terrifying home invasion by a knife-wielding intruder in 2016.
“After what happened to Petra, we don’t take strangers at our door lightly.”
Road to recovery
Medical experts have formally diagnosed the tennis star with Generalised Anxiety Disorder alongside the acute stress reaction.
She has been absent from the WTA Tour since competing at the Adelaide International in January, subsequently missing the Australian Open with a shoulder problem.
However, the left-hander is tentatively scheduled to return to action at the Madrid Open in late April.
Fellow professionals, including former Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur and rising star Linda Noskova, have publicly voiced their support for her ongoing recovery.
