Mon | May 20, 2024

Wimbledon girls finalist suspended for doping on pro tour

Published:Friday | May 10, 2024 | 12:12 AM
Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic in action against Clervie Ngounoue of the US during the girls’ singles final on day 14 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, on July 16, 2023. Wimbledon girls finalist Nikola Bartunkova was provisionally
AP
Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic in action against Clervie Ngounoue of the US during the girls’ singles final on day 14 of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, on July 16, 2023. Wimbledon girls finalist Nikola Bartunkova was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency for doping, on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

LONDON (AP):

Wimbledon girls finalist Nikola Bartunkova was provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency for doping yesterday.

The agency said the 18-year-old Czech player tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine at tournaments in Trnava, Slovakia, and Maribor, Slovenia, in February and March, respectively.

The medication, known as TMZ, also was found in high-profile positive tests given in 2021 by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva and 23 Chinese swimmers who were preparing for the Tokyo Olympics.

Bartunkova was beaten by Clervie Ngounoue in last year’s Wimbledon girls singles final. She also reached the singles semi-finals and the doubles final at the 2022 Junior French Open.

She is ranked 282nd.

Bartunkova is banned from all sanctioned tennis events pending an ITIA hearing.