The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced today that a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, Max Purcell has been voluntarily suspended for breaking anti-doping rules.

The Australian, who is ranked 12th in the world for doubles, admitted to a breach of the regulations relating to the use of a “prohibited method” and had “requested to enter into a provisional suspension on December 10.”

No other details were divulged.

“Time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanction,” the ITIA said, with the ban coming into effect on December 12.

Under the suspension, the 26-year-old is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised by any of the sport’s governing bodies or national associations.

It means he will currently not be able to play in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in January.

Purcell won the 2022 Wimbledon doubles title alongside fellow Australian Matt Ebden and the United States Open crown this year, partnered by Jordan Thompson.

Tennis Australia stressed that the breach related to a prohibited method, rather than a prohibited substance.

“The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed the breach relates to the use of a prohibited method, rather than the presence of a prohibited substance.

“As the matter is currently under investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further at this time,” it said in a statement carried by Australian media.

The ITIA is the same organisation that charged top-ranked Jannik Sinner and world number two Iga Swiatek over breaches of its anti-doping programme.

Italy’s Sinner was exonerated after twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March.

He is currently awaiting the outcome of a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal against the decision.

Swiatek tested positive for a banned heart medication in August.

Oleksandr Usyk has defeated Tyson Fury by unanimous decision to retain his unified heavyweight titles.

The Ukrainian boxer was victorious over Fury for the second time in 2024 as the duo sweated it out at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the early hours of Sunday.

Usyk won the bout after all three judges scored it 116-112 in favour of the 37-year-old champion.

Usyk defeated Fury via split decision during their first face-off in May. The loss was the first of the British fighter’s professional career, and Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis 25 years ago.

The rematch went too similarly to the previous fight, with Usyk wearing down his bigger British opponents with the volume of his punches.

Fury’s determination was evident with the power behind his strikes. One of those struck Usyk in the first round and had the Ukrainian rocking for half a second.

Conversely, Usyk followed the game plan that had brought him success in the first fight between the two: plenty of body shots. As the lighter and smaller boxer, he used his advantage to pummel the Briton with speedy punches.

The Ukrainian only got more dominating as the rounds counted on, and Fury’s initial furore was waning. In the sixth round, Usyk landed an overhand left on Fury’s forehead.

The Briton replied in the following round, drawing a wince from Usyk with a sharp lefty hook. But Usyk sensed Fury’s uneasiness and pressed him continuously in the latter rounds.

The victory extends Usyk’s undefeated record to 23 wins in his professional career.

French former boxing world title holder Thierry Jacob has died at the age of 59, the mayor of his home city Calais announced on Friday.

Jacob took the WBC super bantamweight title in 1992, defeating Mexico’s Daniel Zaragoza in front of his local fans in Calais.

“We begin this day with sad news. Thierry Jacob died overnight, so young,” Natacha Bouchart, mayor of the northern port city, announced on Facebook.

Jacob turned professional in 1984, retiring a decade later with a 39-6 record, losing his WBC title at his first defence against American Tracy Harris Patterson in New York.

One of his sons, Romain Jacob, followed him into the ring, claiming the European super featherweight belt in 2014.