Britain's Greg Rusedski, who has vowed to clear his name after testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone, thanked his fellow players on Sunday for their sympathy and support.
"I've had nothing but support from people, even in the locker room," the 30-year-old said in a statement at the Sydney International tournament, a lead-up event for the Australian Open which starts in Melbourne on January 19 th.
"I've been particularly pleased by the players' reactions. They've been very positive and sympathetic towards me.
The former U.S. Open finalist has blamed the ATP, the governing body of men's tennis, for his plight but will carry on playing until a hearing in Montreal on February 9 th.
Last July, the ATP said its trainers might have unwittingly given illegal substances to its players via electrolyte replacement products, adding that these products might have been contaminated with nandrolone.
As a result, the ATP lifted a two-year suspension on Czech player Bohdan Ulihrach for a nandrolone offence.
"We stopped the process of giving out supplements through our trainers in May 2003," the ATP's David Higden told BBC Radioon Sunday.
"We feel our drugs testing programme is stellar and comprehensive and internationally recognised as one of the top testing programmes.
Rusedski, however, failed his drugs test at a tournament in Indianapolis last July, two months after the ATP said it had stopped its trainers providing supplements.
"We would have to determine whether Rusedski's case occurred before that time (May 2003)," Higden replied when asked if the Briton would be able to prove his innocence.
For the moment, Rusedski is determined to focus on his first-round match in Sydney against Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela.
"I want to concentrate on my tennis right now," he said. "I want to get ready for Sydney this week and I've got the Australian Open as well.
Chela was suspended from professional tennis for three months and thrown out of the world's top 500 in April 2001for testing positive for methyltestosterone, a prohibited steroid.