British tennis star Emma Raducanu says she turned down treatment for insect bites ahead of this year’s Australian Open over concerns about what she could be putting in her body.

Raducanu, who faces No. 26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the opening round, said in her pre-tournament news conference that she got “badly bitten” by ants or mosquitoes Thursday January 9. Despite suffering what she described as an allergic reaction, Raducanu did not administer an antiseptic spray provided to her by someone in attendance.

British tennis star Emma Raducanu's preparations for the Australian Open were disrupted when she was bitten during time off from practice in Melbourne - just days out from the tournament

Emma Raducanu, bitten by ants or mosquitoes, opted not to use antiseptic spray to avoid any potential doping risks. Preparing for the Australian Open, the Brit revealed in a press conference that she was "badly bitten" and suffered from swollen hand and ankle.

Emma Raducanu says she is not taking treatment for an insect bite over fears of ingesting a contaminated substance.

Fear of ingesting a contaminated substance led Britain's Emma Raducanu to turn down treatment for an insect bite ahead of the Australian Open which starts this weekend.

Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances.