LAUSANNE: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday reduced the four-year doping ban imposed on Romania’s former world number one Simona Halep to nine months, which have already been served.
The 32-year-old was suspended for four years last September by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after two separate doping infractions the previous year.
The two-time Grand Slam singles champion appealed to CAS in February, arguing that the positive test was the result of a “contaminated product” and anomalies in her biological passport could be linked to surgery she had undergone.
“The CAS Panel has unanimously determined that the four-year period of ineligibility imposed by the ITF Independent Tribunal is to be reduced to a period of ineligibility of nine months starting on 7 October 2022, which period expired on 6 July 2023,” CAS said in a statement.
Halep’s career has been on hold since October 7, 2022, the date of the start of her provisional suspension after testing positive for Roxadustat at the US Open.
Roxadustat is a substance that can be used legitimately to treat anaemia.
But it is also on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list as it is considered a blood-doping agent, which increases haemoglobin and the production of red blood cells.
The biological passport system is designed for the long-term monitoring of an athlete’s blood indicators with the aim of identifying irregularities that could indicate doping.
Halep has protested her innocence and refused to accept the ITIA decision which would have kept keep her from playing professional tennis again until October 6, 2026.
The winner of the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon singles titles said she wanted to “clear her name” and claimed experts found she had accidentally taken a contaminated supplement.
Halep free to return after four-year doping ban reduced by CAS
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Halep free to return after four-year doping ban reduced by CAS
- The two-time Grand Slam singles champion appealed to CAS in February, arguing that the positive test was the result of a “contaminated product”
- Halep’s career has been on hold since October 7, 2022
Sabalenka returns to Brisbane final, faces Kostyuk for title
- In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk
- World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season
BRISBANE: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka outclassed Karolina Muchova to seal a 6-3 6-4 win at the Brisbane International on Saturday and reach the final of the Australian Open tune-up tournament for the third straight year.
In Sunday’s title clash, the Belarusian will face Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who cruised past world number six Jessica Pegula 6-0 6-3 for her third straight top-10 win after also defeating Amanda Anisimova and Mirra Andreeva in her last two rounds.
World number one Sabalenka has been in similarly superb form in her first tournament of the season, and arrived for her match against Muchova having defeated reigning Melbourne Park champion Madison Keys in straight sets in the quarter-finals.
Things were expected to be trickier against Muchova, who is known for her inventive brand of tennis and had racked up a 3-1 career head-to-head record over Sabalenka, including victories in their previous three meetings.
Sabalenka shrugged off that statistic to take full control of the semifinal clash with a break in the second game, before she displayed deft touches and power from the baseline to take the first set, which she finished with a huge backhand winner.
The four-times Grand Slam champion, who is eyeing her third Australian Open trophy when the tournament begins on January 18 at Melbourne Park, was pushed harder in the next set but edged ahead again at 5-4 to wrap up the win on serve.
“There were a lot of close misses at the end of the second set but I’m super happy to close this match in straight sets,” said Sabalenka, who prevailed on her fourth match point.
“She’s a great opponent and I knew that if I gave her that opportunity in the last games, she would take it, and it would be a bit trickier to play. I’m super happy I got the win.”
Three Americans were in action in the Brisbane men’s event semifinals, where Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6(4) 6-4 before their compatriot Alex Michelsen went down 6-4 6-2 to top seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
In the Auckland Classic, Filipino Alexandra Eala squandered a match point to allow China’s Wang Xinyu to secure a 5-7 7-5 6-4 win. Up next for Wang is Elina Svitolina, who beat Iva Jovic 7-6(5) 6-2 in the second semifinal.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti reached the final of the Hong Kong Open, beating Andrey Rublev 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 in a last-four clash. Alexander Bublik beat Marcos Giron 3-6 6-4 6-2 in the second semifinal, setting up a title clash with Musetti.
