INQUIRER Sports

DENPASAR ? US Open semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer withdrew from the Bali Tournament of Champions Friday after receiving a one-year ban for failing to meet doping regulations.

Wickmayer was handed the ban on Thursday along with her Belgian compatriot Xavier Malisse for falling foul of doping regulations.

The WTA confirmed Friday that 20-year-old Wickmayer had left the tournament, missing her final group match against Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and a chance to reach the semi-finals of the 600,000-dollar end-of-year-event.

The world number 18 was suspended by the Flemish Doping Tribunal (VDT) for failing three times to report her location under the controversial "whereabouts rule".

"The Flemish Doping Tribunal has informed Yanina Wickmayer that effective immediately they are suspending her from competition due to three filing failures under the Belgian anti-doping whereabouts programme," said WTA Tour Chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster.

"With this information Yanina herself has voluntarily withdrawn from the tournament and as a matter of policy the tour will not make comment on an ongoing tennis anti-doping matter."

Both players can appeal their suspensions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

Wickmayer's place in the match against Garrigues will be taken by Russian Vera Dushevina. The withdrawal means Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm will advance to the semi-finals from Group C.