Tennis

Simona Halep, the former world No. 1 tennis player, has opened up about the devastating moment she discovered she had tested positive for a banned substance. In an exclusive interview with Tennis Channel, Halep described the news as a "truck hitting" her."It was like, 'It's a mistake. It cannot be true, this one,'" Halep recalled. "It was a really big pain when this happened, and I never thought that I can live something like this."Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, had never before been accused of doping. The revelation that she had tested positive for roxadustat, a performance-enhancing substance, sent shockwaves through the tennis world."It was really, really difficult," Halep said. "Firstly because I didn't know how it happened. And then when I discovered the contaminated supplement, it was a little bit better because you know what happened at least. But yeah, still, it was a disaster to live that emotion."Halep claimed that the roxadustat entered her system through a contaminated supplement she began taking before the 2022 US Open. She was provisionally suspended in October 2022 and initially faced a four-year ban. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) conviction and declared she bore "no significant fault" for the presence of roxadustat in her system.Halep's suspension was reduced to 18 months, and she returned to action at the Miami Open in March. However, she has been sidelined again due to injuries.In the interview, Halep spoke about her state of mind during her suspension and her plans to return to action. She expressed her gratitude for the support she received from her family, friends, and fans."I'm just trying to stay positive and focus on the things that I can control," Halep said. "I'm working hard to get back to my best level and I'm excited to see what the future holds."