Halep’s high hopes on return to tennis

Simona Halep was buoyant at the end of a three-day hearing in front of international sport’s highest authority, with the former No. 1 hoping to make a return to tennis as she challenged a doping ban.

The 32-year-old Romanian who won Wimbledon in 2019 and Roland Garros the year before, is fighting a sanction after testing positive for the banned substance  roxadustat – an anti-anemia medication considered a blood doping agent – at the 2022 US Open.

She was also called out for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport, a set of baseline readings taken over time.

Halep and her team have denied all accusations from the start; her lawyers spelled out her defence before the Court for Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne this week.

“I had the chance to show my defence and I really believe that the truth is going to come out,” she said.

“The day to be on court is going to be soon.”

CAS is set to rule on the case and if Halep is successful her ban due to end in 2026 will be rescinded.

Halep has said all along that she took a contaminated, legal supplement.

Bill Scott

Recent Posts

Nadal goes down in final match

Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…

2 days ago

Sinner flattens de Minaur in runaway home start

Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…

2 weeks ago

Madcap Medvedev suffers temperamental Turin Finals loss

Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…

2 weeks ago

Team Sinner considering skipping Monte Carlo

Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…

2 weeks ago

Davis Cup Final to mark Nadal goodbye to tennis

Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…

1 month ago

Wimbledon lowers the boom on human linecalling

Wimbledon on Wednesday brought an end to human linecalling at the most traditional of the…

1 month ago