Suspensions lifted for Wickmayer, Malisse A court in Brussels has provisionally lifted the one-year suspensions given to Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse by a Belgian anti-doping panel last month.
The court's decision, which had not been expected for another two weeks, was based on Article 6 of the European Human Rights Convention.
"It's the best Christmas present I could imagine," said Wickmayer, who has asked Australian Open and Sydney organizers for a wildcard and believes she will also receive one into Auckland.
Because of her suspension, Wickmayer was not eligible to enter the events at the time entries were closed.
However, Belgian newspaper Sporza quoted a member of Wickmayer and Malisse's legal team cautioning, "We have passed the first round, but we have not won the tournament."
The final ruling on the suspension will come from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), expected sometime in the next few months. The two players appealed to CAS after receiving a one-year ban for not fulfilling 'whereabouts' requirements.
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ITF authorizes Wickmayer's return to tennis The ITF has authorized Yanina Wickmayer's return to the circuit, her agent Olivier Van Lindonk tells Belgian wire service Belga.
Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse had their one-year bans provisionally lifted by a Brussels court on Monday, but were not eligible to return until the ruling was recognized by the ITF.
Van Lindonk could not confirm whether the ITF has also reinstated Malisse.
Wickmayer and Malisse were suspended last month by a Belgian anti-doping panel for not fulfilling their whereabouts requirements, but if the latest court ruling holds, they can continue to compete on the circuit until the Court of Arbitration delivers a verdict on their appeal some time in the first half of next year.
