Australia’s top-ranked junior tennis player has been banned for a year for taking the party drug ecstasy.

Eighteen-year-old Brad Mousley is the first Australian tennis player to be sanctioned for drug use.

An independent Tennis Australia tribunal this week suspended the South Australian for 12 months after he tested positive to the drug in March.

Mousley, currently the world’s 17th-ranked boys junior, admitted taking the drug at a party in March.

He was drug tested two days later after a qualifying match for a Futures tour event in Melbourne.

Mousley tested positive for the banned stimulant methylenedioxymethamphetamine – commonly known as ecstasy.

He faced a two-year suspension but told the tribunal he had not taken the drug to enhance his performance.

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Mousley’s father and coach Craig said his son made an irresponsible decision to take the drug.

“Brad realises that it was a stupid and dangerous decision,” Craig Mousley told News Corp.

“We’re somewhat relieved because two years would have been devastating.

“But we still feel the penalty is severe.

“Brad is in training at the moment and he wants to come back from this but a one year ban is very significant at this stage of his development.

“It will take a pretty special person to be able to come back.”

Mousley’s suspension was backdated to May 30 this year, when he accepted a provisional ban.