ITF bans American Kendrick for one year

LONDON - Former top-100 player Robert Kendrick of the United States has been suspended for a year by the International Tennis Federation after testing positive for a banned stimulant at the French Open. After failing the May 22 test, Kendrick said the stimulant got into his system because of a capsule he took to combat jet lag. He denied he was trying to enhance his performance. Kendrick lost in the first round at Roland Garros. The ITF accepted his account, but said a player is responsible for any banned substance in his body. His suspension runs until May 21, 2012. Story continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here The 31-year-old Kendrick was born in California and now lives in Florida. He reached a career-best ranking of 69th in 2009 and is currently 105th.