Double specialist Abigail Spears banned for positive doping test
The US double specialist Abigail Spears has been banned by the ITF.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Nov 13, 2019, 04:45 pm
The 38-year-old was tested positive for prasterone, testosterone and metabolites at this year's US Open. This was announced by the international tennis federation ITF a few days ago. Spears is currently provisionally suspended, followed by a hearing.
Spears spoke after the ITF announcement via Instagram. She had felt uncomfortable this year for a long time, a sports physician had noted vitamin deficiencies and prescribed special products - they have not checked enough. She assured the ITF full cooperation. Over the course of her 20-year career, she has always been very cautious, unfortunately not once. She hopes others will learn from her mistake. She also apologized to her twin partners.
Spears has been a professional tennis player since 2000. She has won 21 doubles titles on the WTA Tour so far and in 2015 achieved her best ranking with 10th place in the ranking. In the Australian Open, the 2014 was in the semifinals, in Wimbedon in the years 2015, 2016 and 2018. In mixed, the 2017 won the Australian Open on the side of Juan Slebastian Cabal. In the individual rank 66 in 2005 was her best ranking.