On Friday, world No. 9 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Simona Halep received some unexpected news. Halep was penalised after a drug test from the US Open in August revealed residues of Roxadustat, a medication that the World Anti-Doping Agency has banned as of 2022.
Shortly after the news was announced, Halep joined Twitter and posted the following statement on her account.
The hardest match of my life—a struggle for the truth—begins today. The biggest shock of my life came when I learned that I tested positive for an extremely low dose of a drug called Roxadustat.
Simona Halep continued by stating that she is “confused and betrayed” and that she will “fight till the end” to establish her innocence. Daria Snigur upset Halep, 31, in three sets in the opening round of the US Open.
In particular, after her journey to the Wimbledon semifinals earlier in the summer, it was a disappointing performance in the season’s final Grand Slam competition.
Simona Halep was once rated first in the world, but her results have declined recently. She hasn’t advanced to a Grand Slam final since the 2019 campaign, when she won the French Open.
After having surgery on her nose, Simona Halep had declared that she will finish her season early. The Romanian tennis star now seems to be in for an extended absence regardless of the outcome of her procedure.
Simona Halep issues a statement her shocking suspension due to a positive drug test at the US Open, which first published on ClutchPoints.
