- Unforced Error
- Posts
- Halep In, Rafa Out
Halep In, Rafa Out
With that new can smell
Halep to Return After Doping Suspension
Simona Halep after winning Wimbledon in 2019
This week, Simona Halep’s four year doping suspension was reduced to nine months following her appeal. Since she has already been out of the game for more than that, she can return to the tour immediately, and has received a main draw wild card into The Miami Open. Halep, a former World No. 1 and 2-time Grand Slam champion, was initially suspended in 2022 for taking the banned drug Roxadustat, a doping product favored by cyclists and long distance runners to improve stamina.
I just open a new can of balls and take a huge inhale at every changeover to keep me going.
Given Halep’s time away from the tour and age (32), losing the appeal would likely have been curtains for her career. Crack open a Wilson US Open Extra Duty can Halep, you’re back in business.
Want more detail? Andy Roddick shares what players have to do to comply with doping regulations, with commentary from Jon Wertheim about Halep’s story in their recent podcast episode.
Rafa Update: I Lied
It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament at Indian Wells.
Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love to play here. That’s also one of the reasons why I came very early to the desert to practice and try to get ready.— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal)
2:00 AM • Mar 7, 2024
I blame Netflix, which likely lured Nadal with a couple million to play in their first ever live-streamed sporting event, The Netflix Slam, last Sunday. While it’s great to see tennis in the global spotlight, it comes at a high cost to die hard tennis fans who were hoping to see Nadal this week in the desert. That said, IW ticket holders, stay in your seats! Nadal has been replaced by the next closest name, Nagal. India’s highest ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal (World No. 101), will play Milos Raonic in the first round.
As for Rafa, my guess is that he’ll retire at the French Open this year, followed by an Andy Murray retirement at Wimbledon.
More from Tennis Paradise
After a historic collegiate and very respectable pro career, Steve Johnson retired after his qualifying round loss. Fight on!
Had he played college sports, Djokovic would definitely have been a two-sport athlete. Check out his fútbol moves.
Sabalenka’s mom says she’s bored of the two Australian Open trophies in her house, and that Aryna needs to “work on the other slams”
Hubert Hurkacz with some new fashion. Seems like a Dior kind of guy to me
Thanks for reading!
DP 🤠