Fernando Verdasco was suspended for two months after he failed to renew a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for his ADHD medication. His band ends on January 8, 2023, and he will be able to participate in the 2023 Australian Open.

But the use of ADHD medication in tennis drew strong opinions from current and former players. Reilly Opelka called it legal doping.

Australian tennis star John Millman was sympathetic to Verdasco and thought that Verdasco genuinely need the medication but also said that allowing TUE opens up many legal loopholes.

Pam Shriver was blunt – many tennis players take ADHD medications to improve their focus and concentration on the court.

Mardy Fish and Bob Bryan were fined $10,000 by International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for breaching betting sponsorship rules. The two tennis players were also given a suspended ban for four months.

Fish and Bryan were promoting gambling operator Draft Kings on social media during the 2022 US Open. They removed the posts after objections from the ITIA. Though Fish and Bryan are retired, they were part of the 2022 Davis Cup coaching team and were subject to rules with betting sponsors.

It’s an awkward moment for tennis, which relies on betting companies for sponsorships. Draft Kings is a prominent sponsor on the Tennis Channel. Tennis Federations including the French Tennis Federation have relationships with betting companies.

Mardy Fish has had a tough few weeks. His decision to not include top doubles player Rajeev Ram in the Davis Cup team cost a key match for the US against Italy in the quarterfinals.