Simona Halep says what really surprised her when she returned to tennis after her ban

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Simona Halep opened up on the challenges of returning to tennis after her lengthy doping ban.

In September 2023 the Romanian’s world came crashing down after she was given a four-year ban after testing positive for Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open, where was provisionally suspended.

Halep claimed that she did not intentionally take the substance, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) agreed. Therefore, they reduced the backdated ban to nine months and she was able to return to action in March.

The two-time Grand Slam champion did come back to the WTA Tour, but she was in for a rude awakening.

What did Simona Halep say about her return to the WTA Tour?

The same month Halep was eligible to return to tennis, she entered the Miami Open. She did not have an easy draw, as she played her first match in 19 months against Spain’s Paula Badosa.

The 33-year-old made a strong start, winning the first set 6-1. But the longer the match went on, Badosa grew in confidence and came back to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Reflecting on her return, Halep explained what she struggled with after she returned to tennis, both physically and emotionally.

“I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to come back. I thought ‘I know the feelings, I know how I have to train’ – but suddenly it was so difficult to manage the emotions before the matches,” Halep told the Telegraph.

“I have always been emotional before matches, but now I feel sick in the stomach again. When I did play matches, I felt a little bit soft [physically]. 

“The steps that you have to do towards the ball, towards the corners, they were not there. I think the brain was not sending the right message to the legs.”

How many matches has Simona Halep played since her return?

Following Halp’s return at the Miami Open, she took to the court again at a WTA 125K event in May. She played against America’s McCartney Kessler, but retired from the match after winning 7-5, 2-3.

Five months later, she returned to action at the Hong Kong 125 Open, and Halep claimed the first win of her comeback, beating Arina Rodionova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, but in the next round loss to Anna Blinkova 2-6, 1-6.

Halep’s last match of 2024 came at the Hong Kong Open, but she was defeated by China’s Yue Yuan in straight sets.

Further explaining what she is going through and her aims for next season and beyond, Halep added: “Every day I stay on the court, doing all what I did before. But when I start to play a match, it’s different.

“I played two tournaments, and for three days I was so sore. So this is my main goal: to get some matches, to get some wins, to get my confidence back.”