(CNN) -- A leading tennis player believes he has been "treated like a criminal" after being hit with an 18-month ban for flouting doping regulations and plans to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. World No. 53 Viktor Troicki was suspended by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Thursday after being found guilty of failing to provide a blood sample in a drugs test during April's Monte Carlo Masters. But Serbian Troicki has rejected the charge, alleging the doctor conducting the blood test allowed him to miss the procedure and says he will now appeal the decision.
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Viktor Troicki hits back after being suspended for missing a drugs test
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Serbian star given 18-month ban by International Tennis Federation
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Troicki insists he was given permission to skip drugs test
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The 27-year-old will appeal against the decision at Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"The doctor in charge of the testing told me that I looked very pale and ill and that I could skip the test if I wrote an explanation letter to the @placeholder about it," he said in a statement.