Sara Errani: former French Open finalist fails drug test

Sara Errani, the 2012 runner-up at Roland Garros and winner of five Grand Slam doubles titles, has failed a doping test after traces of a hormone that can hide the presence of the male hormone testosterone were found in a sample she submitted, Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera reported Monday.

Traces of anastrozole, used in the treatment of breast cancer but also a masking agent, were found in the urine of the 30-year-old former world number five during a doping control carried out by the International Tennis Federation, the the dailies said.

The tests were carried out in February at her home, the reports said.

Errani was the beaten finalist at Roland Garros in 2012 and reached her highest ever world ranking of five the following year, a meteoric rise for a player who had only just broken into the world top 100.

According to the reports Errani, now 98th in the world, was due to play in Canada but has returned to Italy to defend herself ahead of a public announcement expected by the ITF.

Italian rower Niccolo Mornati, a four-time medallist at the world championships, tested positive in 2016 for the same substance.