Simona Halep returned to the tennis court in the first part of the year, after being suspended as a result of a doping case.
The athlete from Constanța won her case at the CAS, which decided that the sanction must be reduced to nine months (the period November 2022 – July 2023).
What a mistake Simona Halep made. “Time is not an ally”
The views of American publications are similar. Simona Halep made a hasty decision and returned to the court two weeks after her suspension was lifted.
The former leader of the WTA ranking received a wild card at the tournament in Miami, where he dueled with Paula Badosa. Iberica was victorious, although Halep won the first set without any problems, score 6-1. Badosa finally prevailed, winning the following sets 4-6 and 3-6, respectively.
“Tennis is an endurance sport, and just like running, it takes time to get back in shape. This can also lead to injuries. The 32-year-old made a quick return to the court after her suspension was lifted, so she could not be physically prepared for the demands of high-level hard court play. He participated in the Miami Open in March, but lost in the first round.
The problem is that, for an athlete who is no longer young, injuries are harder to heal, and time is not Simona’s ally. He may not be back until 2025, and his physical form won’t be any better. If she expects to win tournaments, she probably has unrealistic expectations,” said Lobandsmash , who believe the 32-year-old made a hasty decision.
Simona Halep’s career went downhill
The athlete from Romania, who finished in 2017 and 2018 on the first place in the WTA ranking, seems far from the form shown . Halep has two Grand Slam titles in her record, at Roland Garros in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019. Moreover, Simona Halep has won a total of 24 singles titles.
Halep’s last official match was in mid-May, in the Challenger competition in Paris. Although she won the first set of the match against WTA No. 115 McCartney Kessler, 7-5, Halep withdrew due to a knee problem in the second set of the match.