Serena Williams has again hit out at doping authorities, tweeting that she is being targeted in random drug tests and it is discriminatory.
Serena Williams Photo: Photosport
The seven-times Wimbledon champion and 23-times Grand Slam champ in two tweets today said she was being tested the most of all female tennis players.
"... It's that time of the day to get "randomly" drug tested and only test Serena. Out of all the players it's been proven I'm the one getting tested the most. Discrimination? I think so. At least I'll be keeping the sport clean."
She followed it up a few minutes later.
"But I'm ready to do whatever it takes to have a clean sport so bring it on. I'm excited."
...and it’s that time of the day to get “randomly” drug tested and only test Serena. Out of all the players it’s been proven I’m the one getting tested the most. Discrimination? I think so. At least I’ll be keeping the sport clean #StayPositive
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) July 25, 2018
But I’m ready to do whatever it takes to have a clean sport so bring it on. I’m excited.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) July 25, 2018
It came to light this month that Williams, runner-up at this year's Wimbledon, had already been tested five times this year by the US Anti-Doping Agency, while other US players had been tested once or not at all.
Her tweets followed a pre-Wimbledon press conference on 1 July in which she described her treatment by the USADA as shocking.
Williams revealed she was out when an anti-doping official arrived at her house at 8.30am on 14 June, 12 hours outside the allotted daily window she had previously agreed on her athlete whereabouts form.
There is no suggestion Williams did anything wrong and it was not registered as a 'missed test' but the American was clearly perplexed by the situation as she held her pre-Wimbledon news conference on Sunday.
Five tests
USADA confirmed this month that Williams had passed all five tests. Williams said she had asked USADA for an explanation as to why she was being tested so regularly.
"I did have a conversation before I knew the information about all the other players," she said.
"I had a conversation with the lead guy with USADA.
"How is it I'm getting tested five times in June? It's only June, I've been tested five times," she said at the time.
Today she was also given a wild card to compete in next month's Rogers Cup in Montreal, tournament organisers said.
The three-times champion, who gave birth last September, has not competed in Montreal since her run to the semi-finals in 2014, and last played the Rogers Cup in Toronto the following year.
"After announcing our player list a few weeks ago, we were only missing Serena to complete our dream tournament," Rogers Cup tournament director Eugene Lapierre said in a statement.
"Serena has impressed everyone with the speed at which she was able to return to a high level of play. She has always been a fighter and she is proving it once again."
She is ranked 27th in the world.
- RNZ / Reuters
