Wimbledon 2018: Serena Williams' camp accuse Usada of 'invasive and targeted' testing after unannounced house visit

The 23-time grand slam winner was visited by a tester outside her "whereabouts" window earlier this month having already provided five samples in 2018

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Serena Williams is at loggerheads with US anti-doping authorities over what her camp described as “invasive and targeted” testing of the tennis star as she prepares to compete at Wimbledon.

A report published on Deadspin revealed that an officer from the US Anti-Doping authority (Usada) arrived at her Florida home at 8:30am earlier this month – outside her specified daily “whereabouts” window – and refused to leave until Williams had been tested.

Williams was not at home and the officer eventually left without a sample. Because the visit fell outside her “whereabouts” window it does not count as a missed test, but the angry 36-year-old subsequently called Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) CEO Steve Simon to complain about her treatment. Details of the phone conversation were overheard and leaked to Deadspin.

In a statement issued to Deadspin, a spokeswoman for Williams said: “Over her 23-year career in tennis, Serena Williams has never tested positive for any illegal substance despite being tested significantly more than other professional tennis players, both male and female – in fact, four times more frequently than her peers.

“She has vocally supported, respected and complied with Usada testing throughout her entire career. While she willingly continues to submit to testing, there is absolutely no reason for this kind of invasive and targeted treatment.”

Figures included in the Deadspin report also suggested that Williams has been tested a disproportionate amount in 2018, having provided Usada with five samples prior to the failed visit while most other American tennis players have been tested no more than once.

Usada, meanwhile, defended the actions of its testers and insisted that comparing the number of samples issued by different athletes can be misleading.

“Usada retains the right to test any athlete at any time and may target test athletes as Usada deems appropriate,” the organisation said in a statement. “Consistent with safeguarding reasonable privacy concerns and serving as an investigative agency, Usada is committed to transparency and therefore regularly posts completed testing numbers on the Usada website.

“However, given that testing missions result from a wide variety of factors, Usada does not believe that useful conclusions can generally be drawn from comparing the testing frequency for athletes over particular time frames.”

Williams took to Twitter last month to complain about the number of times she has been tested in 2018, despite plummeting to No 454 in the WTA rankings after taking a year away from competition on maternity leave, though Usada’s director of communications Brad Horn insisted there are no lingering issues between the anti-doping body and the biggest star of women’s tennis.

“We talk with athletes all the time about clean sport and our programs,” he said. “We spoke with Serena recently, as has been reported, about a recent test mission. Serena has been supportive and engaged with our program, and she is in good standing with our program.”

Williams reached the fourth round of the French Open last month on her return to grand slam tennis before withdrawing with a pectoral injury, and has been seeded 25th for Wimbledon.