Jenson Brooksby, a 23-year-old tennis player, has reached an agreement with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that has resulted in a reduction of his suspension. As a result, the American athlete will be able to make his return to the ATP Tour on March 4th.
This recent development allows Brooksby, who is currently unranked, enough time to pursue a wild card entry for the Indian Wells Masters. Prior to this, he had been serving an 18-month suspension that began in October 2023. The suspension was imposed due to Brooksby missing three anti-doping tests within a year. However, during the appeal process, he vehemently denied using any banned substances.
While Brooksby acknowledged that he had missed the first and third tests, he contested the second one, leading to a lengthy dispute. Ultimately, his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland was successful, granting him the opportunity to resume his tennis career.
Originally, Brooksby was expected to stay away from the court until January 4, 2025. However, new information came to light, prompting a reevaluation of his responsibility for the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) by the ITIA. After consulting with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), it was decided that the degree of fault attributed to Brooksby should be reassessed. As a result, his suspension was backdated to the time of his third missed test, effectively ending his suspension and allowing him to return to the court starting from March.
In addition to his return to the ATP Tour, Brooksby will also need to find a new coach. He recently parted ways with Joseph Gilbert, who had been his coach since the previous year’s Australian Open. Despite reaching a career-high ranking of top-35, Brooksby had been dealing with injuries prior to his suspension.
Last year, the American underwent surgeries on both his left and right wrists. He had been struggling with wrist issues for two years, with the pain intensifying in the latter part of 2022. This led him to withdraw from two tournaments in the previous season.
Although Brooksby has yet to win an ATP title, he has reached three finals in the USA, specifically in Newport, Dallas, and Atlanta. In the 2023 season, he started ranked 48th and reached the semi-finals in Auckland before being defeated by Cameron Norrie.
During the Australian Open, Brooksby achieved a significant victory by defeating Casper Ruud in the second round. However, he was unable to advance further due to wrist pain, losing to Tommy Paul in the subsequent round. In a few weeks, most likely at Indian Wells, Brooksby will have the opportunity for a fresh start. He is eager to regain his position in the ATP ranking list and embark on another journey towards the top, particularly if he can remain free of injuries.
“It brings me immense joy and relief to be able to return to the sport that I love. The past 13 months have been incredibly exhausting and a nightmare that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone,” expressed Jenson Brooksby.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org