US Open champion labels his doubles partners suspension ‘a joke’
Jordan Thompson has spoken out at the doping suspension his US Open winning partner Max Purcell is facing, labelling the situation as ‘a head scratcher’.
Thompson and Purcell won four titles together during the 2024 season, highlighted by their victory at the US Open.
The Australian duo were set to continue their successful partnership for their home Grand Slam tournament, but were dealt a major blow when it was announced earlier this week that Purcell had been suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
In a statement, the ITIA revealed that Purcell admitted breaching article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme on 10th December, ‘relating to the use of a prohibited method, with any time served under the provisional suspension counting towards future sanctions’.
Australian tennis player Max Purcell has elected to enter into a provisional suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.
— International Tennis Integrity Agency (@itia_tennis) December 23, 2024
As a result, Purcell began a provisional suspension and released a statement of his own on social media, claiming that he had ‘unknowingly received’ an intravenous (IV) infusion of vitamins that was above the 100ml limit allowed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Purcell is now looking unlikely to play at his home major the Australian Open, and his doubles partner Thompson told press in Brisbane what he thought of the decision.
“It wasn’t great news for me and Maxy, especially Max,” said Thompson. “I think it’s a bit of a joke, but there’s not a lot I can do about it.
“I don’t think he’s quite happy and neither am I to be honest. He took too much in an IV bag … to get suspended for that when there are other people who have done far worse and sometimes just get a slap on the wrist it’s a bit of a joke I think but it’s not up to me to decide what happens.”
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Purcell is not the only player to have been involved in a doping case this year, with top singles players Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek testing positive for prohibited substances in 2024.
And Thompson appeared to refer to these cases when continuing his defence of Purcell, “When you look at guys testing positive and then you have Max taking just too much in an IV bag, it’s a head scratcher.”
While Purcell and Thompson will not be able to compete together for the time being, the latter did play alongside another compatriot in Christopher O’Connell earlier today in Brisbane.
Inside the baseline…
Doping cases have dominated headlines in recent months, with Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and now Max Purcell. It is interesting that Purcell volunteered this information and it does suggest that he is wanting to be as transparent as possible about the situation. Hopefully a correct outcome can be announced shortly, so that both Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson can move forward in whatever capacity that is.
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