The Dope Undoped

Well, the verdict is in, the hammer has fallen, and Richard Gasquet has effectively got off his doping charge.

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Kind of, I guess - I don't know if you can call missing Roland Garros and Wimbledon getting off scot-free - there's an inevitable hit in the rankings points that will happen. But the ITF ruled that because Gasquet pulled out of the match for which he provided the sample in Miami, the sample was taken to be 'out of competition' and thus the full twelve month ban did not apply. Instead, he was given a ban of two months and fifteen days, starting on 1 May and continuing to July 15 - so he's already served it.

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The plea that Gasquet entered was 'negligence' and I think that's very apt. He was, in short, a dope. You have to be so careful when you're a sportsperson - doping rules are so tough. I remember a case several years back in Australia where one of our swimmers was ruled out for ages because her coach gave her a cold and flu drug. It's not an arena you can let your guard down in for a second.

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The last I read, Gasquet was blaming his positive result on a woman called Pamela he'd kissed in Miami. Let that be a lesson to you, Richard... parties + sport do not mix. Not that I would wish all the joy to be taken out of the lives of tennis players, but this is proof of just how careful they have to be. Richard was negligent, but I don't think he was criminal. Tentatively, I'm welcoming you back, Monsieur.

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Now I want you to deserve your place. No more headcase. No more stupid. No more negligence. I want to see you glad to be back. You've had to fight for your place on the tour now, you know that it is a privilege, not a right. Now earn it.

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Today's Results

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Catella Swedish Open (Bastad)

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Tommy Robredo def. Peter Luczak, 6-2 6-3

Nicolas Almagro def. Marat Safin, 6-3 7-6 (8-6)

Robin Soderling def. Kristof Vliegen, 6-2 6-3

Daniel Gimeno-Traver def. Frederico Gil, 6-1 6-4

Teimuraz Gabashvili def. Bjorn Phau, 6-3 6-2

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Mercedes Cup (Stuttgart)

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Paul-Henri Mathieu def. Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4)

Alexandre Sidorenko def. Oscar Hernandez, 2-6 6-4 6-3

Victor Hanescu def. Rainer Schuettler, 6-2 6-1

Martin Vassallo Arguello def. Andrey Golubev, 3-6 6-3 6-0

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ECM Prague Open (Prague)

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Francesca Schiavone def. Polona Hercog, 6-2 6-2

Sybille Bammer def. Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1 6-1

Carla Suarez Navarro def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-1 6-4

Lucie Hradecka def. Karolina Sprem, 6-2 4-6 6-4

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Internazionali Femminili di Tennis di Palermo (Palermo)

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Flavia Pennetta def. Roberta Vinci, 7-5 6-1

Olga Govortsova def. Ekaterina Makarova, 6-2 6-2

Aravane Rezai def. Varvara Lepchenko, 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-2

Tathiana Garbin def. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 6-2 6-3

Patty Schnyder def. Anastasia Pivovarova, 6-4 6-0