The complaint, which was filed this week in Manatee County circuit court in Florida, alleges that the 28-year-old was repeatedly subjected to venipuncture anti-doping tests to monitor her blood.

This was despite her repeatedly saying that she had been diagnosed with a rare medical condition triggered by injections.

She claims that "bullying" behaviour caused "both physical and emotional" harm.

"Tennis authorities ignored evidence of her professionally-diagnosed condition and refused to provide alternative testing or a medical accommodation, instead subjecting Brengle to testing that caused her to withdraw from tournaments and has now resulted in permanent swelling and weakness in her serving arm and hand," said attorney Peter R. Ginsberg, who represents Brengle, in a statement 

The 28-year-old is seeking damages at a jury trial.

Brengle, who is currently ranked 83rd in the women's singles rankings but has been as high as 35, was formally diagnosed in November 2016 with a rare condition known as "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I".

This was induced by needles and findings corroborated last year by an ITF-requested independent medical assessment reportedly discovered it "causes extreme pain as well as swelling, numbness and bruising at and in the vicinity of the injection site".

"Brengle has been so severely harmed by the defendants' abusive conduct and medically inappropriate testing that she no longer is able to serve a tennis ball with her right arm at or near the same velocity that she has served throughout her ten-year professional career, her hands are swelled and the swelling has at times spread throughout her arms, and her overall game has suffered enormously from the physical and emotional consequences endured," the lawsuit adds.

"She is not disputing that there should be an anti-doping programme," Ginsberg told the Bristol Herald Courier.

"She does not dispute that players should be available to have tests administered.

"But it has to be done in a medically appropriate manner.

"And it has to be done in a way which takes into consideration not only those who manage professional tennis, but also those who play tennis.

"It's a system totally dominated by the authorities, without any input from the players and without any consideration for the players."

He claimed that Brengle is able to give blood but only via a pin-prick in her finger and will willingly submit to urine analysis.

Wimbledon in 2009, and the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 2016, are cited as tournaments where she experienced problems.

She claims to have also missed tournaments due to a reaction to the testing.

No response has yet been given by the WTA or ITF, who have been contacted by insidethegames.