"ITF keeps harassing players" - Alize Cornet calls out organization in support of Mikael Ymer after ban; recalls own incident

Alize Cornet has rushed to Mikael Ymer’s defense after the latter was handed a prolonged suspension by the ITF for an anti-doping rules violation.

As was revealed earlier this month, Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer was slapped with an 18-month suspension for missing three out-of-competition doping tests in a 12-month period in 2021.

The WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and ITF’s failed attempts came on April 22, 2021, August 10, 2021, and November 7, 2021. Ymer, however, protested his innocence about missing the third test at the Roanne Challenger in France in November 2021.

On July 25, the 24-year-old took to social media to give a detailed explanation about his whereabouts on the day in 2021. Ymer stated that the officials were unable to reach him after the tournament made a last-minute change and moved him to their secondary hotel. He was, however, still in the vicinity.

The World No. 51 claimed that, in the allotted time, the anti-doping official made minimal efforts to get in touch with him about the confusion.

“Upon learning that I wasn’t at the hotel, and despite knowing that a player’s career was on the line, he decided to run down the clock until he called me,” the Swede said on social media.

Mikael Ymer also divulged that he was initially cleared of the charges by an independent tribunal set up by the ITF, but the organization chose to appeal his case.

French tennis player Alize Cornet was disturbed by the news and extended her support. She recalled her own ordeal from 2018, where she was similarly issued a suspension after getting three strikes for missing out-of-competition doping tests. However, Cornet was eventually acquitted.

“I don't understand why the ITF keeps harassing players like that. The same thing happened to me and I got cleared by the independent tribunal. It was still the worst 6 months of my career. Thank God the ITF didn't appeal. I can't even imagine how you must feel... Be strong,” Alize Cornet said.

Similar to Alize Cornet, Casper Ruud too had spoken in support of Mikael Ymer.

“It's a shame. What’s surprising is that he was acquitted, but the union appealed. I thought the federation was helping the players and not trying to punish them. So, it obviously shows that they are not helping the players, in this case,” he said in his Swedish Open press conference.

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"It feels like a bad dream" – Mikael Ymer on being handed the 18-month suspension by the ITF

Mikael Ymer at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

Mikael Ymer was last seen in action at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the third round by scoring impressive wins over Taylor Fritz and Alex Molcan. He reached a career-high ranking of World No. 50 in April this year.

The Swede confessed that being handed an 18-month suspension during his peak years felt like a “bad dream”.

“I am 24 years old, at the prime of my career with a career high ranking, and I have been banned for 18 months. It feels like a bad dream,” Mikael Ymer said on social media.

Ymer also claimed that he was being treated differently, as he recalled some of his colleagues escaping a similar punishment as recently as 2022.

“I don’t think justice has been served. I know for a fact that other players have been cleared after having had three strikes (the last occasion was 2022), despite being very similar scenarios to mine. So why was I different?” he said.