Doping controversies have become increasingly common in the tennis world recently. The likes of Simona Halep and Jenson Brooksby are some of the recent examples. Extending it to the retired tennis players, Maria Sharapova was also among the few players who suffered doping suspensions. The latest victim of these cruel bans was the Swedish No. 1 Mikael Ymer.

Every player has a different way of reacting to such bans. For instance, Simona Halep is fighting the long battle and moving from one court to the other, as she is determined to prove her innocence. However, not all players posses the same amount of mental fortitude. Mikael Ymer, for that matter, succumbed to the shocking ban and took an unimaginable step.

Mikael Ymer calls it a day

At just 24 years of age, the Swedish tennis player has announced his retirement. He was ranked just outside the ATP Top 50 before the ban and looked promising enough to make a breakthrough. However, it wasn’t meant to be. The ITF (International Tennis Federation) charged Ymer with anti-doping rule violation, where he missed three tests in a 12-month period. It seems like Ymer was mentally drained by the suspension saga and did not have enough in his tank to wait for 18 months.

He took to his Twitter to announce the news. Ymer said, “Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from professional Tennis. Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been! I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. God is Great always.”

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That was a staggering decision from Ymer. In just over a month’s time since the ban, he gave up on the sport he grew up playing. This decision could be an eye opener for the harsh ITF rule makers.

Ymer’s saga dates back to 2022

Ymer faced the first charge in January 2022. He fought those charges, proved his innocence and regained normalcy soon after. Despite being cleared by three independent arbitrators, the ITF appealed the decision again. In an unexpected turn of events, Ymer was handed an 18-month suspension by the ITF. The news devastated him and he expressed his grief on social media following the incident.

READ MORE: A Day After the Controversial Doping Ban of a 22YO American Star, Holger Rune Slams Authorities for Their ‘Super Stressed’ Testing Process for the Players

Do you think Ymer was unfairly treated by the ITF? Let us know in the comments.

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