American Robert Kendrick is unsure whether he will attempt a comeback after having his doping suspension reduced from a year to eight months on Monday, his attorney told TENNIS.com.
The 31-year-old Kendrick was hoping to have the suspension reduced to three months, so he could compete in his last U.S. Open, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided that an eight-month suspension was more appropriate??. Kendrick tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine at Roland Garros and claimed he was unaware that the pill he took contained a banned substance, and that he took it to combat jetlag.
Kendrick has dropped to No. 120 in the rankings; if he tries to return next January, his ranking will likely have fallen somewhere outside of the Top 180 and he will be forced to play Futures and Challengers, something he has said he would not be thrilled to do again.
"We don't agree with the decision, but we respect it,” Kendrick’s lawyer, Brent Nowicki. "We are grateful that the CAS even gave Robert the chance to have his case heard before the U.S. Open. Where Robert goes from here is unknown at this juncture. It's just a sad day in sports when a man's career is over because he unintentionally ingested a banned substance. Based on the decision it is uncertain whether he will ever play a professional tennis match again."