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Simona Halep: Former world No. 1 suspended after testing positive for banned substance

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CNN
 — 

Former world No. 1 Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for a prohibited substance at this year’s US Open.

According to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), Halep tested positive for Roxadustat, which is a banned substance listed in the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

The two-time grand slam champion has denied knowingly taking the banned substance.

“Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth,” the 31-year-old said in a statement on social media Friday.

“I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life.

“Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed.

“I will fight until the end to prove that I have never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out.”

How Serena Williams’ former coach brought Simona Halep back from the brink of tennis retirement


04:58

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Halep was informed of the violation on October 7 and exercised the right to request that the B sample be analyzed, which confirmed the finding in the A sample.

According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Roxadustat is a class of drug called HIF-stabilizing agents.

“Athletes can use these products to increase their red blood cell count, which is a very effective doping technique that increases the delivery of oxygen to working muscles to increase endurance performance,” said USADA on its website.

In a statement, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) – the organizing body for professional women’s tennis – said, “The ITIA administers the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP) which provides for a thorough process. In this case, Simona has received a mandatory provisional suspension in accordance with the 2022 TADP.

“The WTA fully supports the TADP, as well as Simona, while having full confidence that the right outcome will be reached through the detailed process that is ahead.”

The Romanian tennis player will be ineligible to compete in or attend any tennis events organized by the governing bodies of the sport while suspended.

“It’s not about the titles or the money. It’s about honor, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years,” she added.

Halep had almost retired in 2021 but said she had fallen back in love with tennis this year.

She was knocked out of the first round of this year’s US Open in August, losing in three sets to then world No. 124 Daria Snigur.

Halep won her first grand slam at the French Open in 2018 and won her second at Wimbledon in 2019.



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Simona Halep suspended for positive doping test taken at US Open

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Former No. 1-ranked player Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency and faces a possible four-year ban from tennis after failing a drug test during the US Open.

The ITIA announced the suspension for Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion who is currently No. 9 in the WTA rankings, on Friday, saying she tested positive for the banned substance roxadustat.

Saying she was “confused and betrayed” by the situation, Halep tweeted that she would start a “fight for the truth” and noted that her test showed “an extremely low quantity.”

“I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out,” Halep wrote.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Halep faces a ban of up to four years for a positive test for a substance such as roxadustat. Athletes can earn a reduction in their ban, likely to three years, if they quickly admit an offense and accept their sanction.

Tennis authorities will handle Halep’s case, and any ruling can be challenged by the World Anti-Doping Agency in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

During a provisional suspension, a tennis player is ineligible to compete in, or attend, any sanctioned events.

Roxadustat is a drug approved for medical use in the European Union to treat the symptoms of anemia caused by chronic kidney failure. According to the EU’s medicines agency, which approved roxadustat last year, it stimulates the body to produce more of the natural hormone erythropoietin, or EPO, which has long been a doping product favored by cyclists and distance runners.

The 31-year-old Romanian player recently announced she was taking the rest of this season off after having nose surgery to improve her breathing. She considered retiring early this year after a series of injuries but then said she felt rejuvenated after teaming up in April with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who used to work with Serena Williams.

Representatives for the U.S. Tennis Association and Mouratoglou declined comment.

Halep was seeded No. 7 at the US Open when she lost to Daria Snigur of Ukraine 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 on Aug. 30. She won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, beating 23-time major champion Williams in the final at the All England Club.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Simona Halep cruises into Wimbledon quarterfinals; Amanda Anisimova ends Harmony Tan’s run

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Simona Halep is living up to her status as the only former Grand Slam champion left in this year’s women’s draw.

The Romanian beat fourth-seeded Paula Badosa 6-1, 6-2 on Centre Court on Monday to return to the Wimbledon quarterfinals and extend her winning streak at the All England Club to 11 matches.

Halep will next face 20th-ranked American Amanda Anisimova, who ended Harmony Tan’s time at Wimbledon with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. The 115th-ranked Tan, from France, had become one of the toasts of the tournament after a remarkable run that included ousting seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in the first round.

It is Anisimova’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the semis at the French Open in 2019, when she also beat Tan along the way. Anisimova, 20, lost in the first round of Wimbledon last year.

The 16th-seeded Halep won the title in 2019 but missed last year’s edition with a left calf injury, while the 2020 tournament was canceled because of the pandemic. This was, however, Halep’s first win over a top-five ranked player on grass.

“I worked really hard in the past two, three months. I’m really happy with all that I’ve done,” Halep said. “I got the confidence. I really feel this is my game. I’m pushing myself to do it as much as possible. I want to improve still.”

The former No. 1, who also won the French Open in 2018, has yet to drop a set in this year’s tournament and consistently got the better of Badosa in the baseline rallies. She finished with only nine unforced errors and saved the only break point she faced.

“I was just missing,” Badosa said. “Some days it goes in the line. And some days, like today, all of them go out.”

Badosa’s loss means No. 3 Ons Jabeur is the only top-10 seed left in the women’s tournament.

Halep, 30, has said the injury made her consider retirement. There doesn’t seem to be any thought of that now.

“It means a lot that I’m back in a quarterfinals after I struggled so much with injuries and self-confidence,” Halep said. “But, as I said, I’m working hard every day. I feel like if I do that, I will get better. Actually I’m really happy with the way I’m playing. I’m really confident. It’s a pleasure to be on court.”

Ajla Tomljanovic, meanwhile, came from a set down to beat Alize Cornet and reach her second straight Wimbledon quarterfinal. The Australian won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on No. 2 Court to set up a meeting with Elena Rybakina, and was in tears after a grueling match that lasted 2 hours, 35 minutes.

“I didn’t really think I could do it,” said Tomljanovic, who lost to eventual champion Ash Barty in last year’s quarterfinals. “I can’t believe a year later I’m in the same position.”

Cornet, 32, ended No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak in the previous round. The French veteran was playing in her 62nd straight Grand Slam tournament — equaling the WTA record held by Ai Sugiyama — and 65th overall, but only reached her first major quarterfinal at the Australian Open this year.

Rybakina reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time after beating Petra Martic 7-5, 6-3.

The 17th-seeded Rybakina broke in the final game of the first set and then again for a 4-2 lead in the second. She finished with 26 winners to 13 for her opponent.

Rybakina reached the French Open quarterfinals last year, when she made the fourth round at Wimbledon in her first appearance at the All England Club.

Martic was playing Wimbledon for the 10th time but has never been past the fourth round.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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