US Open doubles champion Max Purcell suspended for anti-doping breach

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam winning doubles player Max Purcell has entered a voluntary provisional suspension under tennis' anti-doping rules.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced the sanction in a statement on Monday after the 26-year-old Australian admitted to violating Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program "relating to the use of a Prohibited Method".

Purcell posted a statement on Instagram saying he had "unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100 ml."

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Purcell said he had told the medical clinic that the infusion needed to be below 100 ml because he was a professional athlete, but that the medical records he received back showed that the IV had been above that level.

"This news was devastating to me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure that everything is WADA safe," Purcell wrote. "I volunteered this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible in trying to put this whole situation behind me."

The ITIA said the suspension came into effect on 12 Dec., and time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanction. The length of time of the voluntary suspension was not specified by the ITIA.

"During the provisional suspension, Purcell is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association," the ITIA statement read.

Purcell, with compatriot Jordan Thompson, won the US Open in September and won Wimbledon with another Australian, Matthew Ebden, in 2022. He is currently ranked No. 12 in doubles.

He also finished as a runner-up in the Australian Open doubles final twice, in 2020 and 2022.

Purcell, ranked No. 105 in singles, was not listed on the Australian Open entry lists released earlier this month and did not receive a wildcard or feature on the qualifying entries.

The ITIA did not say whether Purcell's absence from the draw of the tournament starting Jan. 12. was due to the sanction.

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The latest doping violation in tennis comes just weeks after five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.

Top-ranked men's player Jannik Sinner, winner of two Grand Slams this year, was exonerated by the ITIA after twice testing positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid in March with the World Anti-Doping Agency appealing the ruling.