“The last year has been the hardest match of my life and unfortunately my struggle continues. I have dedicated my life to the beautiful sport of tennis. I take the existing regulations very seriously and I am proud that I have never, knowingly or with intention, taken any prohibited substances. I refuse to accept their decision of a four-year ban,” she wrote earlier this year on X, formerly Twitter.
32-year-old Halep has won two grand slam titles during her career: the French Championships in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019. She has also previously been ranked number one in the world.
File clip: Simona Halep is suspended for four years