Russian US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova says she may sue the Belgian politician who accused her of failing a drugs test.
The 19-year-old said she was trying her best to ignore the doping issue while she competes at the Australian Open but that her lawyers were already considering action against Belgian regional sports minister Claude Eerdekens.
Eerdekens said this week that Kuznetsova had returned a positive result following a doping test at an exhibition tournament in Charleroi last month.
However, Kuznetsova was cleared of any wrongdoing after governing body the WTA Tour said Eerdekens had spoken out of turn because ephedrine, the stimulant she tested positive for, is permitted at exhibition events.
"He definitely has to pay for it," Kuznetsova told a news conference on Wednesday. "My lawyers, my agents, my parents, WTA, everybody is working on it.
"Everybody's on my side because this is a terrible thing what can happen," she said.
Kuznetsova showed no obvious sign of being distracted by the saga as she demolished Marion Bartoli of France 6-2 6-0 to reach the third round at Melbourne Park but could not escape the spotlight.
