Roger Federer Wants More Drug Testing In Tennis
In light of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, several of the top players in London have weighed in on the topic of drugs in sports. Top seed Roger Federer offered his thoughts on Monday and the Swiss called for more blood testing in tennis, a position Andy Murray took earlier.
“Well, I feel I’m being less tested this time now than six, seven, eight years ago,” Federer said. “I don’t know what the exact reasons why we are being tested less. At this moment I agree with Andy, we don’t do a lot of blood testing during the year. I’m okay having more of that. I just think it’s important to have enough tests out there.
“I don’t like it when I’m only getting tested whatever number it is, which I don’t think is enough, sufficient, during the year. I think we should up it a little bit or a lot, whatever you want to call it. So I think it’s key and vital that the sport stays clean. It’s got to. We have a good history in terms of that and you want to make sure that it stays that way.”
Over the weekend, Murray had re-interated his stance that more blood testing was needed. “There could be more,” Murray said in regards to blood testing. “But a lot of it has been urine, not so many blood tests. I think it’s important to make sure we have all of those bases covered. I think tennis is a clean sport. But the more we can do to improve that all the time is good.”
In search of a seventh ATP Finals title, Federer began his campaign by thrashing Janko Tipsarevic 63, 61 in his first round robin match. Federer’s win was his 40th of his career, a new record for the event besting the previous mark held of 39 held by Ivan Lendl.
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