LONDON (AP) 鈥� Serena Williams took aim at tennis’ anti-doping system on Sunday ahead of her Wimbledon return, calling the system 鈥渦nprofessional鈥� and 鈥渦nreasonable.鈥�
The 44-year-old Williams returned to the testing pool before she could announce her comeback to professional tennis and was asked Sunday about her experiences complying with the rules.
鈥淚t鈥檚 grueling. They changed the rules now. I didn鈥檛 know some of the rules. So apparently if you miss a test outside of your window, it still counts as missed. I鈥檓 like, I guess I can鈥檛 go pick up my kids,鈥� said the seven-time Wimbledon champion, a mother of two. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unprofessional. I hate it. I think it鈥檚 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.鈥�
Williams鈥� first match at the grass-court Grand Slam since 2022 will take place Tuesday when she faces Maya Joint as part of her . She returned to the sport this month in a doubles match at the Queen鈥檚 Club grass-court tournament.
The anti-doping protocol was in the spotlight last week when Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, was for refusing an anti-doping test, the latest high-profile player sanctioned.
Players are required by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to provide their daily 鈥渨hereabouts鈥� for no-notice testing.
Williams described it as 鈥渦nreasonable.鈥�
鈥淭hat was a big reason why I didn鈥檛 want to come back either,鈥� she said, “because it鈥檚 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鈥檚 like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.鈥�
The ITIA, in response to Williams’ comments, told The Associated Press the rules have been the same for several years.
鈥淚f a tester is unable to reach a player during their allocated hour, then it may well be a 鈥榮trike,鈥� 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,鈥� it said of the whereabouts rules.
In 2023, Jenson Brooksby was given after an independent tribunal determined he missed three drug tests within the span of a year.
Under anti-doping rules, athletes can be penalized without a positive test if they have three “whereabouts failures鈥� within 12 months.
鈥淭here have been no changes to the whereabouts rules in the last few years,鈥� the ITIA added in its statement. “We understand the system can seem challenging, but it is there to protect players, not to trip them up. If players are unsure or have questions, we would welcome a conversation with them directly or through their agents.鈥�
Williams, who has previously , said she’s willing to comply and has “always have been very clear about what I do.鈥�
鈥淛ust getting in that routine of, all right, first of all, learning the new rules, then just getting back and reporting every day,鈥� she said. “I guess now for 24 hours where I鈥檓 going to be is just different 鈥� at least for me. I don鈥檛 know if that works for everyone else.”
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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf contributed to this story.
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