Tennis authorities to set up virus relief fund for players

PARIS, France -- The international governing bodies of tennis said on Tuesday a relief programme will be created to provide assistance to players most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

World tennis has been at a standstill since the beginning of March and will not resume until mid-July at the earliest following the postponement of Roland Garros and the cancellation of Wimbledon.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme," read a joint statement from the ATP, WTA, ITF and four Grand Slam tournaments.

It will provide "much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis."

No amount was disclosed but "details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future," the statement added.

"Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution."

Novak Djokovic on Saturday revealed he was working with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to organise aid for players struggling with the paralysis of the game due to the health crisis.

The world number one estimated raising "between $3 million (2.75 million euros) and $4.5 million". He said the cash could come from the prize money for the season-ending World Tour Finals or the final bonus pools for top players.

According to reports Djokovic, as president of the ATP Players' Council, proposed to members that players in the top 100 for singles and the top 20 in doubles contribute according to their rankings. 

The proposed scale runs from $30,000 for a top-five player to $5,000 for those between 51 and 100. 

Agence France-Presse

Sharapova banned for 2 years by ITF

LONDON - The career of Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was in tatters on Wednesday after she was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) following her positive test for the banned drug meldonium.

In a statement the ITF said the five-times grand slam champion's ban would be backdated to Jan. 26 this year, meaning her results and prize money from the Australian Open, where she reached the quarter-finals, would be cancelled out.

Sharapova, 29, said she would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), describing the punishment as "unfairly harsh".

She said an independent tribunal in London on May 18-19 had found that she had not intentionally violated anti-doping rules.

A 33-page report of the tribunal's findings said: "The ITF accepts that the player did not engage in conduct that she knew constituted an antidoping rule violation," but it rejected her assertion that there was no "significant" fault on her part.

"She was the sole author of her own misfortune," it said.

On its website, the ITF said the ban, which could have been as long as four years, had been backdated due to Sharapova's "prompt admission" of taking the substance, and would end on midnight of Jan. 25, 2018.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) later issued a short statement saying it would review the decision before deciding whether to use its independent right of appeal to CAS.

Sharapova has regularly battled back from serious injuries during her glittering career but the two-year ban means she will not be eligible to play until after the 2018 Australian Open when she will be 30, and raises the question of whether she will ever play again.

"If it stands, then I think it will be difficult for her to come back at the same level," the president of the Russian Tennis Federation, Shamil Tarpishchev, told TASS news agency, calling for the penalty to be reduced.

TIME AND RESOURCES

Meldonium was added to WADA's list of banned substances at the start of the year after mounting evidence that it boosted blood flow and enhanced athletic performance.

Around 180 athletes have tested positive for the drug, manufactured in Latvia and common throughout eastern Europe, since January.

Sharapova, the world's highest-paid female athlete, stunned the sporting world in March when she announced that she had tested positive for meldonium, a component of a product named Mildronate which she has taken since 2006 for health issues.

At the time Sharapova, the highest-profile tennis player to fail an anti-doping test, said she had made "a huge mistake" in failing to realise that continuing to take Mildronate would be a violation of the anti-doping code.

"The ITF spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not," she said on Facebook.

The ITF had sought a four-year suspension but the tribunal rejected that, she said.

"While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension."

The tribunal found that Sharapova had taken Mildronate before each of her five matches at this year's Australian Open where she lost to Serena Williams.

It rejected Sharapova's argument that the ITF should have informed her that she and a number of other tennis players had tested positive for meldonium in 2015 before it was added to the banned list.

"CONCEALED"

The report also said that Sharapova had not made her use of Mildronate known to most of her team, including her coach, her trainer, her physiotherapist and her nutritionist, nor any of the doctors made available to players by the WTA.

Questioning why she continued taking Mildronate before matches, the report said: "In the tribunal's view the answer is clear. Whatever the position may have been in 2006, there was in 2016 no diagnosis and no therapeutic advice supporting the continuing use of Mildronate.

"If she had not concealed her use of Mildronate from the anti-doping authorities, members of her own support team and the doctors whom she consulted, but had sought advice, then the contravention would have been avoided," it said.

The ban will have an enormous impact on Sharapova's earning potential.

Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer cut its ties with Sharapova after the news of her doping violation while other sponsors such as Porsche distanced themselves from her.

Nike however, said on Wednesday they would continue to work with Sharapova.

"The ITF Tribunal has found that Maria did not intentionally break its rules," the sports apparel giant said in a statement. "Maria has always made her position clear, has apologised for her mistake and is now appealing the length of the ban."

Sharapova has 35 WTA singles titles and has won all four of the sport's grand slam titles.

Her career earnings amount to $36 million while her off-court earnings, according to Forbes, are around $200 million.

(Editing by Clare Fallon and Robin Pomeroy)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sharapova to face meldonium hearing in London

Maria Sharapova will attend an International Tennis Federation anti-doping hearing in London on Wednesday, British media reported, with the Russian facing a possible ban of up to four years for failing a drugs test at the Australian Open.

The five-times grand slam champion stunned the world in March when she said she had returned a positive test for meldonium, a Latvian-made heart medication which was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) banned list from Jan. 1.

Sharapova, the world's highest-paid sportswoman, claimed to have been taking meldonium on doctor's orders for 10 years and had failed to note that it had become a banned substance until hearing of her failed test at the first grand slam of the year.

She was provisionally suspended on March 12 pending the hearing.

Hundreds of athletes have tested positive for meldonium this year but WADA admitted last month that their bans might be overturned due to a lack of clear scientific information on how long the drug takes to be excreted from the body.

The drug's manufacturer said traces could remain in the body for several months depending on dosage, duration of treatment and sensitivity of testing methods.

The ITF's anti-doping program calls for a four-year suspension for a failed test but it can be reduced in various circumstances, such as for first-time offences or if the player shows no significant fault or negligence. (Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sharapova faces suspension after failing drug test

LOS ANGELES - Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, the highest-paid woman in sports, said on Monday that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open due to a substance she has been taking for 10 years for health issues.

The 28-year-old Sharapova, a five-time grand slam champion, will be provisionally suspended starting March 12, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said.

One of her biggest sponsors, Nike Inc., said it was suspending ties while the case is being investigated.



She is the seventh athlete in a month to test positive for meldonium, which is used to treat diabetes and low magnesium, and was only banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as of Jan. 1.

"I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down and I let the sport down," said Sharapova, a teenage tennis prodigy who became the third-youngest Wimbledon champion. "I take full responsibility for it."

"I know that with this I face consequences and I don't want to end my career this way. I really hope that I will be given another chance to play this game," former world number one Sharapova told a news conference in a downtown Los Angeles hotel.

In its statement to put ties on hold that came just hours after the tennis star's announcement, Nike, the world's largest sportswear maker, said, "We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova."

The ITF's anti-doping program calls for a four-year suspension for a positive test, but that ban can be reduced in various circumstances, such as for first-time offences or if the player shows no significant fault or negligence.

If a player bears no fault or negligence, there is no suspension.

TAKEN MELDONIUM FOR 10 YEARS

According to Forbes, she earned $29.5 million in 2015, mostly from endorsements.

Sharapova said her family doctor had been giving her mildronate, which is also called meldonium, for 10 years after she frequently became sick, had irregular EKG results, a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes.

"It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA's banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine. But on January the first, the rules have changed and meldonium became a prohibited substance."

WADA declined to comment until ITF issues a final decision.

Meldonium is used to treat chest pain and heart attacks among other conditions, but some researchers have linked it to increased athletic performance and endurance. It is listed by WADA among its prohibited metabolic modulators, along with insulin, and some researchers say it can also help recovery.

It is not approved in the United States but is available in Russia, Latvia and other countries in that region.

Over the past month, Russian cyclist Eduard Vorganov, Russian figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova, Ethiopia-born athletes Endeshaw Negesse and Abeba Aregawi, and Ukraine biathletes Olga Abramova and Artem Tyshchenko have all tested positive for meldonium.

Sharapova is the most prominent tennis player to test positive for a banned substance in recent years.

Croatia's Marin Cilic was banned for nine months in 2013 after testing positive for a prohibited stimulant, though the suspension was cut to four months on appeal.

Former world number one Martina Hingis retired after receiving a two-year suspension for a positive cocaine test in 2007, though the Swiss denied taking the drug.

WTA SADDENED BY NEWS

Last year, the sport banned U.S. player Wayne Odesnik for 15 years after his second doping violation, testing positive for steroids and other banned substances.

Sharapova is the biggest name in sport to test positive since New York Yankees baseball slugger Alex Rodriguez was banned for a year in 2013 after using performance-enhancing drugs and American cyclist Lance Armstrong was banned for life from racing in 2012 after a U.S. Anti-Doping investigation.

Sharapova, one of the most popular figures in global sports, has long been a favourite with her sponsors. Cosmetics maker Avon Products Inc declined to comment on its endorsements.

Steve Simon, CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, said in a statement he was saddened to hear the news.

"Maria (Sharapova) is a leader and I have always known her to be a woman of great integrity," he said.

"Nevertheless, as Maria acknowledged, it is every player's responsibility to know what they put in their body and to know if it is permissible. The WTA will support the decisions reached through this process."

The news came a day after Sharapova's management team said she was going to make a "major announcement," which had many speculating that she was going to announce her retirement from professional tennis.

Sharapova, who has struggled with a series of injuries in recent years, has not competed since she lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January.

Renowned for her never-say-die approach, a gritty baseline game and high-decibel shrieking, Sharapova at 17 became the first Russian woman to win Wimbledon when she beat Serena Williams 6-1 6-4 in the 2004 final.

That victory also made her the third-youngest Wimbledon champion, behind only Lottie Dod and Hingis, and the fourth-youngest grand slam winner in the open era after Hingis, Monica Seles and Tracy Austin.

(Additional reporting by Joseph Ax and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker/Peter Rutherford/John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Djokovic, Murray on the mark in Davis Cup ties

Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic and Great Britain's Andy Murray breezed to comfortable wins as Davis Cup World Group first round action began in dramatic style

Djokovic dispatched Mate Delic in three sets and Viktor Troicki came through in five against Borna Coric to put 2010 champions Serbia 2-0 up against a Croatia team struggling without US Open champion Marin Cilic.

"Mate is a talented player with a lot of potential to reach the top in the tennis world, but I'm happy with my performance and that I managed to win," Djokovic said.

Murray, like Djokovic, opened for the British against the United States in Glasgow, the world number five dominating Donald Young 6-1, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

- Ward in thriller -

The packed house in Murray's hometown were treated to some gripping Davis Cup theatre as James Ward pulled off a thrilling 6-7 (4/7), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 15-13 win over John Isner to make it 2-0 to the hosts.

Ward, ranked 111 in the world, looked destined for defeat as he lost the first two sets against the big-serving Isner.

Isner, the man who triumphed in the longest tennis match in history at Wimbledon in 2010, saved five match points in an epic final set, but Ward eventually prevailed after the world number 20 hit a backhand into the net.

After four hours and 57 minutes of action, Ward said: "That was by far the best atmosphere I've experienced in the Davis Cup.

"I'd prefer not to play these five-set matches but the crowd were incredible and really helped me through."

Over in Liege, Switzerland, missing big guns Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, were all square 1-1 with Belgium.

Unheralded Henri Laaksonen gave the defending champions the perfect start with a surprise 1-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Ruben Bemelmans.

Steve Darcis then got the Belgians up and running with a one-sided win over Michael Lammer.

The winner of that tie will face either Canada or Japan, who were all square at 1-1 after wins for Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori in Vancouver.

Canadian number one Raonic, ranked sixth in the world, got the hosts off to a smooth start with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory over 85th-ranked Tatsuma Ito.

Raonic fired 17 aces and never faced a break point.

Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up, ranked fourth in the world, found the going a bit tougher against Vasek Pospisil, but leveled the tie with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win in two hours and 19 minutes.

The split sets the stage for a key showdown between Raonic and Nishikori in Sunday's reverse singles.

Beaten 2014 finalists France were fully in control of their clash with Germany after wins for Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils over Jan-Lennard Struff and Philipp Kohlschreiber respectively.

- Kokkinakis shocks Rosol -

Australia were in a similarly comfortable position in Ostrava against the Czech Republic.

Teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis stunned the Czech's top player Lukas Rosol 4-6, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3, with Bernard Tomic then seeing off Jiri Vesely 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).

"I hung in there, kept digging. I was a break down in the fifth but I felt good. I'm so happy with that win," said Kokkinakis.

"When my back's against the wall I usually can find a way to get it done," he added.

In Almaty, Kazakhstan and Italy were level at 1-1, as were Argentina and Brazil in Buenos Aires.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com