Los Angeles (dpa) – Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova failed a drug test at the Australian Open in January, the five-time Grand Slam winner announced Monday.
The 28-year-old, who has played sparingly since last year due to injuries, said she tested positive for meldonium, a medication used to treat heart and circulatory conditions.
Sharapova (pic) said she has taken the drug for medical reasons for 10 years, and was not aware that it became banned under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations on January 1.
“I failed the test and take full responsibility for that,” she said.
The Russian-born player has been dealing most recently with a left forearm injury and has played a mere dozen matches since losing a Wimbledon semi-final last year to Serena Williams.
Sharapova, the highest-earning woman in all of sport, last competed six weeks ago at the Australian Open, where she lost to Williams in the quarter-finals. She withdrew last week from the Indian Wells Masters starting this week, an event she won in 2006 and 2013.
Sharapova burst onto the WTA by winning Wimbledon in 2004 at age 17, becoming the third youngest Wimbledon winner. She won the US Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and finished off her career title sweep of all four majors in 2012 with a trophy at Roland Garros, adding a second French honours in 2014.
