The period covers October through to December, in which a total of 1,513 samples were collected from players.

A total of 616 in competition urine tests were collected in the quarter, with a further 71 blood and eight athlete biological passport samples taken.

There were also 281 out-of-competition urine samples gathered, along with 267 blood and 270 athlete biological passport samples.

It brings the annual total to 6,293, with 3,490 collected from men and 2,803 from women.

The ITF claim the discrepancy between the totals taken from men and women is due to some samples being collected from Challenger events, in which only men participate.

The total number of samples collected in 2017 has increased by 28 per cent from 2016, where 4,899 were taken.

Increases comprised of a rise of 49 per cent in urine samples taken, as well as a three per cent bump in blood samples.

The ITF revealed that a total of 120 therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) were received during 2017, with 64 being granted.

There were 14 TUE requests denied, while 29 were for substances of routes of administration, which were not prohibited.

The remaining 13 applications were either withdrawn or cancelled.

The report also acknowledged the findings in six cases arising since the publication of the previous update.

Dutch player Jake Mak was handed a two-year ban for refusing to provide a blood sample on request, while an appeal by Kazakhstan’s Arsan Arashov against a two-year sanction handed to him was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci was given a five-month sanction after providing a positive sample in a test given on July 18.

The sample contained hydrochlorothiazide and its metabolite, chloraminophenamide, with the substance filed under specified diuretic or masking agent.

Czech Republic’s Katerina Kramperova tested positive for the diuretics amiloride, hydrochlorothiazide and metabolite, chloraminophenamide, on June 7.

She was given a six month ban.

Romania’s Adrian Barbu, United States’ Spencer Furman and Ukraine’s Yurii Dzhavakian are currently serving provisional suspensions.

Barbu’s relates to a positive sample collected at the Bucher Reisen Tennis Grand Prix on August 16.

The sample at the ATP Challenger Tour event, contained the nandrolone metabolite ‘19-norandrosterone’ and methenolone metabolite, both of which are classed as anabolic steroids.

Furman was suspended in November following a positive sample given at the Atlantic Tire Championships, another Challenger event.

His positive sample contained d-amphetamine, a non-specified stimulant, which carries a mandatory provisional suspension.

Dzhavakian accepted a voluntary provisional suspension on January 6, pending a final outcome to the case related to a test at the Thailand F7 Futures event on October 9.

His sample contained the stimulant methylhexanamine.

The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme applies to all players competing at Grand Slam tournaments and events sanctioned by the ITF, Association of Tennis Professionals and Women's Tennis Association.

The report can be accessed here.