It has been a while since Simona Halep was relieved of all the charges imposed on her amid the doping case. While her comeback was not expected to be smooth after the case was dismissed, the tennis community has been still left stunned at the hostility from some quarters. While she recently started to make efforts in order to gain momentum back in the scene, Aryna Sabalenka stepped forward to support the Romanian.
After losing to Iga Swiatek at the Italian Open final, Aryna Sabalenka has been keeping herself busy. Besides enjoying dinner with her team and the rumored boyfriend, the Belarusian also took time to enjoy the Imola GP. However, Saba then also took a moment to emerge as the first big name to shed light on Simona Halep’s situation.
In a recent interview, the Australian Open champion drove her attention towards the Romanian’s consistent efforts to re-establish her image. Sending best wishes to the WTA star, she said, “I wish her all the best, stay strong and I’m sure she’ll come back as soon as possible.”
Simona Halep flashes a smile in her first match back on tour.
Can’t describe how much I missed seeing this lady on a tennis court. ❤️
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 19, 2024
This came after Simona Halep recently made an appearance at the WTA 125 event in Paris. Although she had to face a disappointing defeat in the opening match, Sabalenka’s comment might prove to be a source of motivation for the Romanian who badly needs it.
Besides the matters of support and backing, Sabalenka and Halep have also shared a strong rivalry on the court. Out of the 5 showdowns that they have participated in against each other, the Romanian stands strong with 3 wins in her bucket. While the WTA star is looking forward to re-entering the competition, her French Open dreams met a terrible end.
Simona Halep becomes a victim of the French Open wild card controversy
The tennis world expressed disappointment after Dominic Thiem was denied a wild card entry at the upcoming French Open. However, besides him, Simona Halep, who experienced a massive drop in her rankings, reaching a terrible 1149th position, also had to face a similar situation.
Despite the fact that she attained glory at the 2018 French Open by defeating Sloane Stephens in the finals, the authorities denied her a wild card entry. Making it even worse for the WTA star, she wasn’t even allowed a qualifying wild card, which closed all the doors for her participation at this year’s clay court major.
With local athletes like Alize Cornet and Alexandre Muller enjoying their positions, the former top rankers had to experience a terrible fate. While she still finds herself stuck in the mud, it still remains to be seen when will she be able to rise up.
