Former World No. 1 Simona Halep has been cleared to return to the court following her four-year doping ban being reduced to nine months. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced their decision on Tuesday.
Halep tested positive for the banned substance Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open. She was handed the ban in September 2023 after being found guilty by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Independent Tribunal.
Halep has maintained her innocence ever since the ban was handed down. Today, she was finally able to clear her name.
“Throughout this long and difficult process, I have maintained my belief that the truth would eventually come out, and that a just decision would be reached, because I am and always have been a clean athlete…”
Halep said that she would be returning to the tour after the “truth prevailing.”
Simona Halep’s Career Achievements
Halep has 24 worldwide singles titles and two Grand Slams. She defeated Sloane Stephens to win the 2018 French Open and Serena Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon Final. Williams posted this tweet following Halep’s initial suspension in September of 2023.
8 is a better number.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 12, 2023
Williams is a seven-time Wimbledon champion. This tweet was seemingly a reference to Halep defeating Williams at Wimbledon in 2019. Williams felt she was playing at a disadvantage in that match.
Only time will tell if Halep, 32, will be able to regain her form following nearly 18 months off the court and a crusade to restore her reputation. One thing is for sure, though: the Romanian will come back with a vengeance to try to prove all her detractors wrong.
About The Author
Justin has always loved sports. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated and 247Sports.
For more great content, check us out on X @TotalApexSports. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we do several shows daily. Make sure you follow us on NewsBreak as well.