The International Tennis Federation announced on Thursday that a provisional suspension had been imposed on former world No. 19 Varvara Lepchenko.
According to a release published by the ITF, Lepchenko, currently ranked No. 124, provided a urine sample while playing a WTA tournament last month in Budapest. The sample tested positive for metabolites of adrafinil and/or modafinil. Both are listed as Non-Specified Substances, and each carry a mandatory Provisional Suspension.
The 35-year-old American has been on an upswing in 2021, qualifying for Roland Garros en route to the second round, and had started the month of August by winning the biggest singles title of her career, a 125K in Charleston. She was scheduled to participate in US Open qualifying but withdrew ahead of the ITF’s announcement.
Lepchenko reached the fourth round of her home Grand Slam tournament in 2015, falling to eventual quarterfinalist Victoria Azarenka, and also made the second week of Roland Garros back in 2012.
As a doubles player, Lepchenko enjoyed considerably greater success on the Grand Slam stage, pairing Zheng Saisai to storm into the 2013 Australian Open semifinals.
Lepchenko retains the right to appeal the Provisional Suspension, but, per the ITF release, “has not exercised that right to date.”