Tennis Star's Career Is Over After Being Handed Ban From the Sport

A former world number five tennis star has been banned by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

Doping controversies were a topic of interest in tennis last year, as men’s world number Jannik Sinner served a three-month ban after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency over two positive drugs tests in 2024.

Sinner was cleared of wrongdoing by an independent panel for the banned substance clostebol, with WADA saying it accepted that the four-time Grand Slam winner “did not intend to cheat”.

The ITIA found that Sinner was contaminated with the substance by his physiotherapist, after he had been applying an over-the-counter spray in Italy to a cut in his own hand before carrying out treatments on the tennis star.

Also in 2024, six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek served a one-month suspension after testing positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample.

On Wednesday, former world number five doubles star David Marrero was handed a ban by the ITIA.

David Marrero has been banned (Credit:Getty)

According to the body’s website, the 45-year-old Spaniard “admitted to paying and offering to pay for wildcards for themselves and/or their doubles partner on four occasions across 2022 and 2023”.

As a result, Marrero has been suspended for a period of two years and seven months, as well as receiving a $15,000 fine, with $10,000 of the amount suspended.

The player’s period of ineligibility will end on May 20, 2028, by which time Marrero will be 48 years old. The Las Palmas-born player has won 14 ATP doubles titles in his career.

Meanwhile, the ITIA also suspended former player and current captain of the Tunisia Davis Cup team, Malek Jaziri, for nine months, as well as handing him a fine of $5,000, of which $2,500 is suspended after he admitted to involvement in one breach of the TACP wild card rules with Marrero. Jaziri’s period of ineligibility will end on July 27, 2026.

Malek Jaziri has been banned (Credit:Getty)

In a statement, the ITIA wrote: “During their periods of ineligibility, Marrero and Jaziri are prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.”