Tennis ‘anti-diva’ allowed to return from doping ban

release: 03/05/2024 – 17:33Modified: 03/05/2024 – 17:31

2 minutes

On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced a potentially career-ending doping ban from four years to nine months, paving the way for Halep to potentially return to court immediately.

Before being suspended, Halep had shown incredible determination to win the 2018 French Open title after losing in all three previous Grand Slam finals.

On the eve of the Paris final, she won the hearts of the crowd when she bid farewell to Sloane Stephens, who had lost a set, by declaring that she would have “no problem” if she lost again because “no one would die.” favorite.

Halep lost to Sharapova at the 2017 Paris Championship after leading Jelena Ostapenko 3-0 in the 2014 French Open final.

Her third heartbreak came in the 2018 Australian Open marathon final in Melbourne’s sweltering heat, against Caroline Wozniacki.

Halep, who also became world number one in August 2017, is the second Romanian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title after Virginia Ruzici, the 1978 French Open champion.

She’s a superstar in her home country – she’s appeared on the cover of Elle Romania and opened a restaurant called SH in her Black Sea hometown of Constanta.

“The fact that I was able to win may also be an inspiration to Romanians and children, even if you come from a small country, as long as you work and believe, it is possible,” she once said.

One of the main reasons Halep waited so long to win a Grand Slam title was her relative lack of power compared to other big stars in the sport.

“Goodness and truth will always prevail”

But she found compensation: “But I’m fast, aren’t I?”

Halep has won 24 singles titles and has earned more than $40 million from her on-court performances.

But she was rarely caught up in the glamor of the sports world. The famous American magazine “Sports Illustrated” once described Halep as an “anti-diva”.

When she won Wimbledon in 2019, Halep was following only two people on Twitter, now X.

One is former coach Darren Cahill and the other is four-time snooker world champion Mark Selby.

“I don’t know how you play snooker. But I admire him,” Halep said.

“He’s been to Romania a few times. I’ve met him. I still have a snooker ball signed by him. That’s why I follow him.”

Halep has also been questioned over her decision to undergo breast reduction surgery 15 years ago, which she said made her “uncomfortable” while playing.

For Halep, now 32, her character and known good nature were tested when she was suspended in 2022 and sentenced to a four-year ban in September 2023.

She maintains her innocence, calling her absence from the sport a “nightmare” and awaiting the outcome of her appeal with “heads held high”.

“Goodness and truth will always prevail.”

© 2024 AFP