The world of tennis is experiencing one of its most dynamic weeks before the start of „Wimbledon“ 2026. Today's Tuesday combines huge administrative scandals, exciting sports comebacks and key battles on grass.
Doping earthquake: 4 years without tennis for „Wimbledon“ champion
The tennis community was left in a stupor after the decision of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which imposed a maximum 4-year ban on the Czech star and „Wimbledon“ champion 2023“ Marketa Vondrusova. The reason is a refusal to give an out-of-competition doping sample at her home in December last year.
Vondrusova reacted sharply on social media, declaring: “All my tests were negative“. She explained that she did not open the door late at night because the checking officer did not identify himself properly, which aroused fears for her personal safety. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) officially stood up for her, demanding a revision of the rules and greater protection of the rights of competitors during surprise checks. The case is expected to be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
The bombshell is confirmed: Serena Williams returns to singles in London!
One of the greatest tennis players in history, Serena Williams, officially extends her sensational comeback. After participating in the doubles competition last week, the organizers of “Wimbledon“ confirmed that the 44-year-old American has received a “wild card“ for the main draw of the singles. Serena, who has 23 Grand Slam singles titles (7 of which in London), told the media of Olympics.com that her main motivation at this point in her life are her daughters – Olympia and Adira, who want to see her on the court. In addition to singles, the legendary American will also play in the duets, where she reunites with her sister Venus Williams.
Our people abroad: Qualifications for “Wimbledon“ and BG tennis today
Today in Roehampton, the women's battles for entry into the main draw of “Wimbledon“ begin. The attention of Bulgarian fans are focused on two homegrown players: Victoria Tomova starts her campaign with the ambition to justify her status as the leading Bulgarian player. Young hope Elizara Yaneva takes to Court 3 in the afternoon for a tough match against the home team's representative Yuriko Lily Miyazaki.
An international tournament from the “Challenger“ series is being held on home soil in Plovdiv, where Iliyan Radulov and Yanaki Milev begin their participation, while Dinko Dinev failed to overcome the first round in the early matches.
What's coming up: Grigor Dimitrov takes to the grass in Mallorca
Our top male player Grigor Dimitrov is ready for his first official grass match of the season. The Bulgarian, who participates with “wild card“ at the ATP 250 tournament in Mallorca, is the absolute favorite (83% predicted chance of victory according to Tennis.com) in his upcoming clash against qualifier Marc Polmans. The match is expected with great interest as a key stage in Grisho's preparation for “Wimbledon“. The match was scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.