Simona Halep, the former world No. 1, returned to tennis at the Miami Open after an 18-month doping ban. Despite her efforts to hit the ground running, including maintaining her training regimen, Halep faced challenges in her comeback match against Paula Badosa, which she ultimately lost. Badosa crushed Halep in the 1st set, and after the match, Aryna Sabalenka awaits Halep. During the match, Halep experienced shoulder pain and required physio treatment. Halep's return has sparked a debate within the tennis community, with Caroline Wozniacki expressing disagreement over granting wild cards to players coming back from doping suspensions. Halep defended herself, emphasizing that she did nothing wrong and advising fellow players to be cautious about everything they consume. Her emotional journey back to the sport has been marked by her advice to peers and her response to Wozniacki's comments.
🗣️ "Why has she said that? I didn't do anything wrong" Simona Halep responds to comments made by Caroline Wozniacki that players banned for doping should not receive wild cards on their return to tennis 🎾 https://t.co/cXsOjh4pjt
.@Simona_Halep's advice to fellow players after her doping ban? “Be worried about everything (you) eat and do.” The former world No. 1 reflects on her emotional journey back to tennis after 18 months away at @MiamiOpen. ⤵️ https://t.co/3HTMZZijXU
Halep falls to Badosa in return from doping ban as Sabalenka waits https://t.co/nbClpFR7D7 https://t.co/LpCoIFjsbX
Wozniacki not feeling the love as Halep returns from doping ban https://t.co/EIOZIhYH3l https://t.co/Ihzt9rS0I8
Caroline Wozniacki disagrees with wild cards for players coming back from doping suspensions. "If you want to come back, and it's been a mistake, I understand, you should work your way up from the bottom." Halep reacted to that. "Yeah, but why? I didn't do anything wrong. I… https://t.co/FTgdY2fkbT
Halep perhaps in that liminal space, having seemingly kept up training to try and hit ground running, but live matchplay still exposing consistency/confidence issues (and some surreal slow serving).
Halep with some shoulder pain on her first match back. https://t.co/mMKKqxHfpa
Physio out for Halep in her return match - she had been pointing to her shoulder a few games before. Manages to hold a long 3-5 game. After the treatment Badosa (who got crushed in the 1st set) will try to serve out the 2nd. https://t.co/G6zSCq7FYd
Can Halep overcome her lack of tennis? 🤔 Cristina Bucsa will be no easy first opponent back 👀 https://t.co/UPUDSAIa2l
Simona Halep, the return https://t.co/Lkt4IbE0E9
Simona Halep at practice in Miami on Monday. https://t.co/pUYrrjwH6Q