Romanian star Simona Halep has endured a very traumatic year. The news of her doping ban was akin to pulling the rug out from underneath her. It rocked the tennis world too, since Halep was admired by all. But it seems that her love for tennis has not diminished at all.
The former Wimbledon champion has been embroiled in a doping controversy since the US Open last year. While Halep has always pleaded innocent, the authorities found her guilty, effectively ending her career. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) handed Simona a four-year ban, despite her efforts to prove that she was a victim of contamination.
Halep has been resilient, though. The Romanian star took to social media recently to share her love for the sport that brought her fame. She shared a photo from the court with her Wilson racket and shoes in the frame. Halep added a heart emoji to the picture to show her feelings.
Simona has been making headlines since the news of her suspension broke out. Through it all, Halep has held her head high and handled this unfortunate situation to the best of her abilities. This case has also seen a lot of twists, with Patrick Mouratoglou, her coach, confessing the part he played.
Simona Halep has made her intentions very clear: she will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Simona’s reputation has taken a hit, with her colleagues taking shots at her. However, she will not go down without a fight, a trait that was often seen on the tennis courts.
What records does Simona Halep hold?
Simona is one of the best players on the WTA circuit. In her career spanning over a decade, the Romanian has achieved a great many things. She has won titles and fans’ hearts in equal proportions.
Halep turned pro in 2006, slowly climbed up the ranking ladder, and eventually broke into the top 100. In only her third WTA event in 2010, Halep made it to the finals before finishing as the runner-up. Simona announced her arrival in 2013, though, when she won six WTA titles.
Halep did not win as many titles in 2014, but she made it to the finals of the French Open, where she lost to Maria Sharapova. She continued improving at Grand Slams and eventually won at Roland Garros in 2018. Halep kept up her performance and won the Wimbledon title in 2019 by defeating Serena Williams.
Since then, Simona has not been able to replicate her success, and injuries have also derailed her career. But Simona Halep was once among the richest athletes, and her fall from grace is as unfortunate as it gets.