ROME(AP) Filippo Volandri of Italy will miss the Australian Open after being banned for three months by the International Tennis Federation for abusing an asthma drug.
The Italian tennis federation announced the ITF's decision Friday, saying Volandri's use of salbutamol was deemed beyond therapeutic needs. The ban began Thursday and will end April 14.
Volandri failed a drug test last March at a tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.
The 109th-ranked Volandri had been drawn to face Mario Ancic of Croatia in the Australian Open, which starts Monday.
The ITF also announced that all of Volandri's results from March 13 will be voided, including $166,000 in prize money won money won and ATP points gained in the last nine months.