'We rewatched an Ajax match': how to handle the anti-dopers

Remembering where to be 365 days a year, even if it means a 6am doorbell ring, can weigh heavily on players

- Tumaini Carayol

During a particularly mischievous period of his life, many years ago, a 21-year-old Gaël Monfils returned home from a long night of partying at 5.45am and after a quick dash to the bathroom fell asleep. Minutes later he was woken up by a doping control officer at his front door: "I'm dying in my bed and somehow I hear the guy come. Barely. I'm dead and he's coming," says Monfils, laughing.

One of the requirements of being an elite player is providing your location for an hour each day as part of the anti-doping whereabouts system, which allows the anti-doping authorities to conduct unannounced out-of-competition doping tests. For years the Frenchman, like most other players, has assigned 6am as his usual hour, a time he is certain to be at home or in his hotel room.

On this occasion an exhausted Monfils opted for an unorthodox solution: "I say: 'Bro, there's no chance I [can] pee. I know you have to be with me. Come to my room.'

"I put down a chair. He was there and I said: 'Sorry, I'm going to sleep. I don't know when I'm going to wake up, but you can have a vision on me. It's not that I don't want to pee. I'll be honest - I've been out. I peed like five minutes ago. I can't."

It turned out to be a far longer nap than Monfils had anticipated: "I woke up at 3pm, the guy was scrolling his phone. [I say] 'Hey, bro.' I pee. So he was waiting for me for 10 hours. He could steal everything in my house."

Along with training, fitness, matches and the relentless challenge of travelling to tournaments around the world, being a professional means navigating the World Anti-Doping Agency's strict regulations, to which all athletes in Olympic sports must adhere. No matter how long it takes, every player must provide a urine or blood sample when called upon.