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International Tennis Integrity Agency: Australian tennis player Max Purcell has been handed an 18-month ban after admitting to breaching anti-doping regulations, a case the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion revealed had been “seriously affecting my quality of life” for several months.

The 27-year-old, who claimed major titles at Wimbledon in 2022 and the US Open in 2024, was provisionally suspended in December 2024. He admitted to using a prohibited method — intravenous infusions of vitamins exceeding the allowable limit — on two occasions in December 2023.

The World Anti-Doping Code and Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP) restricts IV infusions to no more than 100ml within any 12-hour period. Purcell’s infusions exceeded 500ml, prompting an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).