Simona Halep has once again expressed her discontent with the way her doping case was handled, particularly in comparison to the treatment of other players, without directly naming Iga Swiatek. The former world No. 1 reiterated that she believes the manner in which her case was dealt with was “unfair” and “unacceptable.”
Halep’s career took a significant hit when she was handed a four-year suspension in September 2023 for testing positive for the banned blood-doping agent Roxadustat during the 2022 US Open. However, after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Romanian’s ban was reduced to nine months in March 2024. This ruling allowed her to return to professional tennis, as she had already served more than nine months of the suspension, having been sidelined since her positive test in August 2022.
Meanwhile, in a separate but related case, it was revealed on Thursday that world No. 2 Iga Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in August. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that Swiatek received a one-month suspension, which was based on the finding that she had shown “no significant fault or negligence.” The 23-year-old Polish star had already served 22 days of her suspension before the news broke, which means she will be free to compete in her upcoming events, including the United Cup and Australian Open.
Swiatek’s case came shortly after men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner also faced scrutiny for failing two doping tests in March, where traces of clostebol, an anabolic steroid, were found in his system. An independent tribunal accepted Sinner’s defense that the substance was absorbed through a massage from his former physio, who had used a steroid spray on a cut. While the case was closed without a suspension, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the ruling, seeking a two-year ban for Sinner.
Halep, in an interview with Telegraph Sport, shared her frustration over how these cases were managed, particularly in contrast to her own experience. “Big pain, big pain,” she said, expressing how the situation had left her feeling deeply upset. “I felt like they [the ITIA] were unfair to me before, but now it’s even more. I was so, so upset and so sad when I saw the situation. It’s just unacceptable, from my point of view.”
The two-time Grand Slam champion added that the whole ordeal has had a lasting emotional toll on her. “I lost my sleep again. I lost it for the two years during the process, then I got it back. And now, after [what happened], for a few days, yeah, I lost it again. All the negative thinking, negative thoughts, it’s not easy to handle.”
Halep also alluded to a particular unnamed player, whose case she felt was handled with far more leniency. “The woman player – I don’t want to give a name, you know about who I’m talking about – she had the three-week suspension, then she played two events, and then she gets again suspension. What is this? I mean, I don’t understand. So I feel it is not fair.”
Since her return to tennis at the 2024 Miami Open, Halep has played only five matches. She has been candid about the challenges she’s faced on her comeback, admitting that it has been tougher than she initially expected. “I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to come back,” Halep said, reflecting on her emotional and physical hurdles. “I thought, ‘I know the feelings, I know how I have to train,’ but suddenly it was so difficult to manage the emotions before the matches. I have always been emotional before matches, but now I feel sick in the stomach again.”
Physically, Halep has also struggled to regain her peak form. “When I did play matches, I felt a little bit soft [physically]. The steps that you have to do towards the ball, towards the corners, they were not there. I think the brain was not sending the right message to the legs,” she explained. Halep also mentioned that after competing in two tournaments, her body felt sore for several days, underscoring the physical toll her comeback has taken.
“My main goal right now is to get some matches, to get some wins, and to build my confidence back,” Halep concluded, focused on regaining her rhythm and mental strength as she continues to battle back from the setbacks of the past few years.