Ex-Wimbledon juniors finalist free to play after doping ban

Nikola Bartunkova – the 2023 Wimbledon girls’ singles runner-up – has been cleared to compete after she accepted a six-month doping ban for unknowingly ingesting a banned substance.

The Czech 18-year-old returned a positive test for trimetazidine in February and again in March and was provisionally suspended.

Trimetazidine is a metabolic modulator sometimes used as heart medication.

Following an investigation, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that the positive tests had been caused by a contaminated supplement.

In a statement, the ITIA added that “the violation was not intentional, and that the player bore no significant fault or negligence”.

As part of Bartunkova’s sanction, her results between the first and second positive tests have been declared void, with the exception of a first-round result at an event held in the Czech Republic in March, where she returned a negative sample.

Time served under provisional suspension counts towards the period of ineligibility, and as such Bartunkova is now free to play.

Bartunkova beat then world number 21 Dayana Yastremska to secure her first WTA Tour victory last year.

She was beaten by American Clervie Ngounoue in last year’s Wimbledon juniors final.