By Erik Gudris / November 5, 2013

 

Viktor Troicki says that his dreams of being a top player are over even after a court ruled to shorten his punishment for failing to take a doping test this summer.

Photo Credit: AP

Despite being given a shorter suspension for failing to take a doping test, Serbia's Viktor Troicki says that he feels his dreams of being a top player are now over.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released a statement on Tuesday announcing its ruling on Troicki, who appealed his suspension by the ITF this summer. Back in July, the ITF suspended Troicki for failing to produce a blood sample at the Monte-Carlo Masters event in April.

Troicki, who was suspended for 18 months, appealed the ruling on the grounds that a doping official excused him from having to give a blood sample after Troicki said he was not feeling well. Troicki did provide a urine sample on the same day.

The CAS decided to shorten Troicki's suspension to 12 months, meaning he is eligible to play in events starting July 15, 2014.

In his own statement released to the media, the 27-year old Troicki gave a mixed reaction to the verdict.

"I hoped that the most difficult period of my career and of my life would be over, and I really trusted the judges I met in Lausanne," Troicki said in the statement. "I had the feeling that they were really looking for the truth and that they had found it during the hearing. Now this decision puts an end to my dreams of being a top player, of reaching the ATP finals and fighting against the best in the world. I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didn't know."

The full statement by the CAS can be read here.