If Gasquet fails to clear his name, he could be handed a two-year suspension.

But the 22-year-old said in L’Equipe: “I have never, ever, ever taken cocaine in my life.

“I understand the suspicion but I will repeat as many times as is necessary: I have never taken this stuff.

“On the circuit, no-one takes it. When I have to take an aspirin, I call the doctor 10 times to be sure I can.”

He added: “I would like to be on court and not with the lawyers, but there is no choice.

“It will take as long as it has to, I will fight until the end.”

Gasquet pulled out of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami citing a shoulder injury.

On the night of his withdrawal, he claims he went to a club with three other people and ended up sitting at a table with around 15 others.

Gasquet is adamant he kept each of his drinks in his hand.

When asked if cocaine was being passed round at the club, he said: “I didn’t see anything and neither did my coach. If we had seen something, we would have left immediately.”

Gasquet continued: “I now know one important thing – one of the people there that night told me cocaine was being passed round our table.

“As it is a tiny quantity which was found in my urine – a trace which I have since learned is the equivalent of a tenth of a line – anything is possible.

“I know what didn’t happen: I repeat, I never took cocaine.”

Gasquet is awaiting a hearing, and in the meantime he is gathering evidence and is planning legal action. He said he has been living a nightmare.

“It felt like I was in a film. It was hard to live through. I couldn’t go out into the street. I stayed at home. It was terrible,” he said.

“Each time I turned the television on, I heard someone talking about it. I could have smashed the TV...

“But I will return. I am only 22. My career is still ahead of me.”