Mikael Ymer is suspended for 18 months.
Now the icon Jonas Björkman reacts – and sees the star.
– The saddest thing is of course for Ymer himself, who has put himself in this unnecessary situation, he says to GP.
It was during Tuesday that the shock announcement came, which made the entire tennis world react. Swedish tennis star Mikael Ymer, who this season made a big climb up the world rankings all the way to 50th place, is suspended for 18 months from all professional tennis.
The words about the star
Ymer has failed in his stay reporting on three occasions during 2021, which is a violation of the doping rules that exist, and despite the fact that he was first cleared by an independent jury, he is thus severely punished. Ymer himself has said that he thinks the punishment is unfair, as he was de facto not doped, but the criticism of the star has been great over the past 24 hours.
Now tennis icon Jonas Björkman is also reacting, who believes that anyone can miss a doping test. But to miss three pieces, that’s more strange.
– It is clear that it is very negative for Swedish tennis, but the saddest thing is of course for Ymer himself, who has put himself in this unnecessary situation, he says to Göteborgs-Posten.
READ MORE: THE BOMB: Tennis star Mikael Ymer is banned from all tennis for 18 months – says himself: “Unfair”
“Getting super tough”
Björkman, former world number four and now an expert at Discovery, believes that the responsibility ultimately lies with Ymer himself.
– He knows what happens if he doesn’t stick to the regulations. It’s important to have a good team behind you as well who keeps track of all these things. But then it’s really only him who can answer why it turned out this way, he tells TT.
Björkman believes that Ymer will now find it difficult to get back.
– It is super tough to come back from. The only positive thing, if you can say that, is really that if you get injured and are out for about the same amount of time, you have to heal, rehab and all that sort of thing. It is even more difficult, says Björkman.
READ MORE: The expert’s huge criticism of Mikael Ymer – raging after the adamant doping statement: “Totally disrespectful”