Dayana Yastremska is out of the Australian Open after her urgent appeal against a provisional doping ban was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Ukrainian, who sits 29th in the WTA rankings, tested positive for a metabolite of a synthetic testosterone in late November and was provisionally suspended on 7 January pending a full hearing into the case.
Yastremska protested her innocence, citing the possibility of contamination, and travelled to Australia in the hope an appeal to CAS would enable her to play in the Australian Open beginning on 8 February.
The International Tennis Federation rejected Yastremska's appeal last month and CAS has now followed suit, following a fast-tracked process, meaning the 20-year-old will miss out on the first grand slam of the year.
A CAS statement said: "Following a decision by the Chair of the Independent Tribunal to deny an application to lift the provisional suspension imposed on her on 7 January 2021 under Article 8.3.1(c) of the 2020 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, Dayana Yastremska (UKR) appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
"The CAS has dismissed that appeal. Ms Yastremska therefore remains ineligible to compete, pending the final resolution of her case."
Yastremska said in a statement on Twitter: "I sadly acknowledge the decision of the CAS to dismiss the expedited appeal to lift my provisional suspension.
"I would like to underline that the decisions taken by the ITF independent tribunal and the CAS are only related to the provisional suspension.
"Now comes the time to defend myself about the matter of the dispute. My team and I are confident in our ability to prove my innocence as the ITF independent tribunal will hear from me, witnesses and experts.
"I know my presence in Australia has raised some concerns. The urgent procedure with the ITF independent tribunal and the CAS could have lifted my provisional suspension, which would have enabled me to compete at the Australian Open. That’s the reason why I was allowed to travel there."
