Recently suspended tennis player Yanina Wickmayer may be back on court as early as January.
A Belgium court issued a ruling on Monday to suspend her one-year ban from professional tennis.
The 2009 US Open semifinalist was banned by a Belgian anti-doping tribunal after she failed to report her whereabouts three times to doping officials. While the issue is still unresolved, the ban’s suspension might permit her to return to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour while she awaits a final decision.
The ASB Classic in New Zealand has already offered Wickmayer a wildcard into next month’s tournament.
“We’ve confirmed that if she’s allowed to play we’re offering her the wildcard,” ASB Classic tournament director Brenda Perry said in comments published by the New Zealand media.
Unless the Australian Open offers Wickmayer a wildcard, she will not be eligible to compete at the Grand Slam because the entry deadline has passed.
Thank goodness that common sense has prevailed – at least for now – over the moral misalignment that punishes tennis-players according to their standing in the game rather than the seriousness of their offences.