French tennis star Richard Gasquet has confirmed he tested positive for cocaine at the Miami Masters tournament in March.
The former world number seven issued a statement to news agencies on Sunday after the French sports paper L’Equipe had revealed in a report on its Web site the failed doping tests. Gasquet, who has slipped to 23rd in the rankings, faces a two-year ban from tennis, but his hoping for leniency. “The test of the B sample submitted at the end of March 2009, confirmed the positive result of the A sample taken on the same day,” he said. “I want to prove my innocence and will explain myself at an appropriate time,” he added. Earlier Sunday, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) admitted they would be “very surprised” if the reports proved to be true. The FFT added in a statement released to Press Association that it “would be very sad for Richard Gasquet himself, for tennis in general, for French tennis in particular, whose image would be dented” if the positive test was officially confirmed.
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Gasquet, a teenage prodigy, has failed to match his early promise but did reach the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2007. Only this week the 22-year-old was confirmed as one of the star attractions at the pre-Wimbledon tournament at Eastbourne, but now faces a battle to clear his name. In ATP tennis action on Sunday, Novak Djokovic continued his fine form on clay with victory in his home tournament in Belgrade. The Serbian top seed beat Lukasz Kubot of Poland 6-3 7-6 in the Serbia Open final. It was Djokovic’s fourth successive appearance in an tour final. The BMW Open title in Munich went to Czech Tomas Berdych who edged out Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-4 4-6 7-6.
