Wickmayer in plea over ban

US Open semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer on Thursday insisted she has been treated unfairly after being banned for a year under anti-doping rules.

The 20-year-old, who is ranked 16th in the world, received the suspension last week from a Flemish anti-doping tribunal after failing three times to report her whereabouts for drug testing.

Wickmayer's fellow Belgian Xavier Malisse was given the same punishment but she is adamant the tennis authorities did not explain the system or provide her with enough information.

A tearful Wickmayer said at a press conference: "The anti-doping system in theory is okay but not in practice, especially when it condemns the innocent."

"Because I was not in the top 50, I was not on the program of the World Anti-Doping Agency. I knew nothing of the Flemish regulations. Then there were two violations beside my name."

Wickmayer, who did not say when or if she would appeal, claimed the fact written correspondence was sent to her house when she was travelling abroad contributed to her falling foul of the system.

"I do not understand why they did not try to contact me when they noticed their registered letters were returned because I was not home," she continued.

"I'm 16th in the world and that is thanks to the hard and honest work of the past years. Do the people who have suspended me think about that?"

"I have nothing to reproach myself for. I am punished because of administrative and organisational reasons; it is inhumane and unsporting. Athletes are not robots, but people."

Wickmayer added: "Now I let my lawyers work on the case and I'll wait and try to keep busy with other things."