Simona Halep will most likely miss Roland Garros due to her provisional suspension for doping after her hearing was pushed back again. Fans were left absolutely floored last year when the International Tennis Integrity Agency announced that Halep had tested positive for the blood-boosting drug Roxadustat at the US Open.
The former World No.1 and two-time grand slam champion was provisionally suspended pending a hearing. Halep immediately announced she would fight the finding and claimed she has never cheated throughout her career.
But in a frustrating process, Halep’s father appeared to confirm their trial has been pushed back on a number of occasions.. The trial is now set for 30 April, which means she will miss the cut off for Roland Garros’ main card entry.
However, there is hope for the Romanian. If Halep is cleared she can still potentially be handed a wildcard entry in time for the grand slam starting on 28 May.
Halep’s father, Stere, hit out at the hearing process and doubled down on her quest to clear her name. “We still don’t know anything. We’re waiting just like you are. We don’t know what’s happening,” he told Romanian publication Gazeta Sporturilor.
“The deadline was initially set for the 28th, but from what we understand, it was postponed to 30th. We are doing okay. When you’re innocent, you fight tooth and nail.”
The World No.36 hasn’t competed since the US Open and would be desperate to clear her name and take part in her first tournament in 2023. Halep’s fans were also left frustrated with the long process.
