Major setback for Yanina Wickmayer

Yanina Wickmayer has been told she is not eligible to play tennis, despite her doping ban being suspended by a court injunction yesterday.



The International Tennis Federation (ITF) say as far as it was concerned bans on Wickmayer and fellow Belgian Xavier Malisse still apply.



ITF spokesman, Nick Imison said the players are out until the international body receives further communication to suggest otherwise.



He says the ITF is waiting to hear from the Belgian anti-doping authorities.



US Open semi-finalist, Wickmayer, who is ranked 18 in the world, was given a one-year ban by the Flemish anti-doping tribunal in November after failing to report her whereabouts for testing three times.



Malisse, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, twice failed to report his whereabouts and on a third occasion was unavailable for testing at the address he had submitted.



The ITF imposed the Belgian anti-doping tribunal\'s bans worldwide, but both players have already asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn them.



Following yesterday\'s court ruling, Wickmayer was offered a wildcard to play at the ASB Classic, a warm-up tournament for January\'s Australian Open, but the ITF\'s ruling means she is still not eligible to play.