After missing three doping tests within a year, Mikael Ymer was banned for violating anti-doping rules. A ban that also resulted in him ending his career.
But in January, the ban expired, and the 26-year-old made a comeback.
And the Swedish tennis profile got to step up to the top of the podium directly in a tournament at ATP level – but since then have varied.
From how I am as a person, I wouldn't have felt satisfied no matter what I had done. But I also have very good people around me who remind me all the time. So somewhere in the back of my head, I must realize that it might take a little longer to get back, says Mikael Ymer.
"I'm not stupid"
At best, he has been ranked 50th in the world in singles – but now he is ranked 758th.
Somewhere, I'm not stupid either, so I know it's a tough task. But I always want to think that I can already challenge the best. Whether it's a fact or not, says the 26-year-old.
What ranking he will have in the fall remains to be seen – clear is, however, that he will play the Nordic Open in Stockholm in October.
Recently, Norwegian star Casper Ruud was confirmed for the tournament. And now, he gets company from good friend Mikael Ymer.
Fantastically nice that we can confirm it already now, so I can just focus on the coming months and get my level up to where I want, says the Swede.
For Ymer, it was obvious to say yes.
It's how it should be to play at home, I think. One or two calls and then everyone is satisfied. Because in the end, the most important thing is that it's about tennis and that we get to play at home. Where young people can come and see me and others play, so it's really cool.
Ymer describes it also as a "relief" that the focus now lies on tennis – and not everything around it, where the headlines sometimes have been about his previously frosty relationship with the Swedish Open in Båstad, Sweden's second ATP tournament.
In 2022 and 2023, Ymer was involved in two verbal exchanges with the Båstad leadership, where he chose to decline the tournament in a highly publicized manner.
But now we have a stable relationship, and that makes me very happy, says Ymer.
Born: September 9, 1998, in Skara (26 years old).
World ranking: 758.
Highest ranking on the ATP tour: singles: 50 (April 17, 2023), doubles: 187 (October 16, 2017).
ATP titles: One. Stockholm Open (2016, in doubles with older brother Elias Ymer).
Best Grand Slam result: Australian Open (third round, 2021), French Open (third round, 2021–22), Wimbledon (third round, 2023), US Open (first round, 2020–22).
Current: Has made a comeback this year after being banned for violating anti-doping rules and announced that he will quit in the summer of 2023.
What: Nordic Open, one of two ATP tournaments held in Sweden.
Where: Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm.
When: October 11–19.
Reigning champion: singles, Tommy Paul, USA, doubles, Harri Heliövaara, Finland/Henry Patten, Great Britain.
Last Swedish winner: singles, Thomas Johansson, 2004, doubles, Elias and Mikael Ymer, 2016.
