Simona Halep finally returned to tennis after nine months, as she made a successful plea to the court and was revealed to be half-guilty. For the uninitiated, the Romanian was found guilty of doping by the ITIA and has been serving a ban since.
However, according to the verdict by the CAS, Halep was allowed to continue playing tennis as she had already completed the reduced sentence before the trial. Just after this, she received a wildcard entry into the Miami Open.
While some people were delighted for the Romanian, others were rather unhappy with this decision by the Miami organizers. Interestingly enough, her return to tennis was not taken well by some players as well, as she was seen explaining the comments made by Caroline Wozniacki.
Not directly attacking Halep, Wozniacki stated that she didn’t want organizations to be handing out wildcards for players who have cheated in the game. However, the matter took yet another turn when former tennis professional Boris Becker sent a special message to Simona Halep, indirectly siding with the Romaiana.
We love ya Simo ! Said Becker on X
We love ya Simo ! https://t.co/PFMX1eb2am
— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) March 20, 2024
He indirectly showed his love for Halep as she made a return to tennis at the Miami Open. Even the German made his comments on her return, but the world awaits answers from Patrick Mouratoglou, who remains mum.
Simona Halep’s comeback was rather short, as she failed to get past the first-round battle against Paula Badosa
Wildcard entry Simona Halep made her return to tennis after nine months. After being released from the hands of the ITIA, she is now eligible to compete again. Fortunately, the 32-year-old received a wildcard entry into the Miami Open, which provided a good start to her comeback.
Unfortunately, she was unable to make the most of this entry. Halep was ranked low and was placed in a tough draw from the beginning. She was up against Paula Badosa in the first round itself, for a shot at a second-round match against Aryna Sabalenka.
It seemed like Halep was on top of her opponent from the get-go, with an easy first-set lead. However, she lost the huge lead, as Badosa made a comeback to win the match in the third set. Unfortunately, it was a short stay for the Romanian as she gears up for her next try at a tournament.
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