It has been reported that Jennifer Capriati has been rushed to hospital from a suspected accidental overdose. Her spokesperson said that Jennifer had accidentally overdosed on prescription medicine’s.
The call came from a hotel in Riviera Beach, FL. Of course the gossip site TMZ was first on the report and Stefano Capriati told them she was recovering well.
Thoughts go out to the Capriati family. Let’s hope Jennifer recovers quickly and gets the help she needs.
The Associated Press reported today that American Wayne Odesnik has accepted a voluntary suspension from the men’s Tour for his possession of HGH in January.
Under the suspension, Odesnik will not participate in any ATP or Grand Slam events until he faces an independent tribunal in the next two months.
Fined $7,000 for his actions in Australia, the ITF’s Stuart Miller had this to say regarding the No. 111 ranked American.
“How long that suspension will remain in place will be at the discretion of the player, but we would normally expect it to continue through to the point at which a tribunal renders a decision on the case,” said Miller. “Technically, the length of any withdrawal is his choice.”
The ultimate reason Odesnik took the voluntary suspension came down to the fact that he’ll be suspended anyway once the tribunal is over. For that reason, it would be to his detriment to continuing playing because the likilihood that he’ll keep his prize money and points during the time leading up to the tribunal is very low.
Odesnik would then have to pay for all his traveling costs out of his own pocket, and since he doesn’t make Roger Federer type figures, it really doesn’t make any sense.
Odesnik’s decision to immediately stop competition will also result in an overall deduction from his proposed suspension.
“If he decides to return to competition in advance of the decision that is imposed in this case, then he would lose that credit,” Miller said.
Richard Gasquet has been known to be a bit of a party animal and is always seen out having a good time, but today the French tennis player has tested positive for a prohibited substance during a check carried out at the Miami Masters in late March.
Currently, it is only his sample A that has been confirmed and they are waiting on the results of sample B. The substance is classed as a recreational drug and has since been confirmed that it is Cocaine.
The Biterrois, 23rd global player, had to enter the tournament in the 2nd round against Spaniard Albert Montanes before forfeit a few hours before the game because of pain in the right shoulder. ” Absent this week’s Estoril tournament, the player of Team Lagardère withdrew today from the Madrid Masters in 1000, which was used as a launching pad for the tournament at Roland Garros.
Tennis has seen other cases of doping with cocaine: Mats Wilander (3 months) and Karel Novacek in 1995 (3 months), Martina Hingis in 2007 (2 years).
Martina Hingis has been a player at the top of the women’s game since she was only 16. Currently the star in serving her two year suspension for having cocaine in her system during Wimbledon back in 2007. Hingis claims she’s completely retired with no chance of returning after her sentence is served out.
She still proclaims her innocence, saying she has no idea how the banned substance entered her system, but gave up the court battle after losing her appeal in front of the International Tennis Federation in December 2007. Her suspension will last through October of 2009 and by then, she will be 29, not an age when she wants to start a third comeback.
