Simona Halep has been cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) from a doping ban, enabling her to resume her tennis career immediately. The former world No.1 has already arrived in Miami, with a positive attitude and eager to play the March 19-31 Miami Open.
The 32-year-old Halep is gearing up to compete in her first tournament since the 2022 US Open. Following a positive urine sample for the prohibited substance roxadustat, the Romanian player faced a lengthy process to prove that the doping was unintentional, rather, that it was a result of a contaminated supplement. Initially banned for four years, she appealed the decision, and CAS ruled in her favor earlier this month. As a result, her ban was reduced to nine months, a period that has already passed.
Upon learning of the CAS decision, the two-time Grand Slam champion expressed that she couldn’t wait to return to the Hologic WTA Tour and announced that the Miami Open would be her first tournament back.
Halep arrived in Miami a week ahead of the WTA 1000 tournament, brimming with excitement for her return to competitive tennis. She took to Instagram to share her enthusiasm, posting a gym photo with the caption, “I missed this jet lag.” Additionally, she uploaded a short video of her first practice session, remarking, “Feels like I never left.”
