Wimbledon junior runner-up Bartunkova suspended for doping violation

LONDON: Last year’s Wimbledon girls’ singles runner-up Nikola Bartunkova has been provisionally suspended for an anti-doping violation, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Thursday.

The 18-year-old Czech tested positive for trimetazidine, which is prohibited under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, in February and again in March, according to a statement.

Trimetazidine is a metabolic modulator sometimes used as heart medication and Bartunkova, who reached a career-high 226 in the WTA rankings in April, did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Bartunkova was beaten by beaten by American Clervie Ngounoue in last year’s Wimbledon juniors final.