"For me it's a victory to be back on court" - Simona Halep thanks fan for encouraging her after Romanian media slams 'embarrassing' Hong Kong display

Simona Halep thanked a fan for support after a Romanian media outlet labeled her performance at the 2024 Hong Kong Open as "embarrassing". The 33-year-old stated that simply being back on the court after a long absence is a victory in itself.

In September 2022, Halep tested positive for Roxadustat and biological passport irregularities in May 2023. She was initially banned for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), but after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), her sentence was reduced to nine months.

Halep made her return to the WTA Tour at the 2024 Miami Open and participated in two WTA 125 tournaments before competing in the Hong Kong Open, where she was defeated by Yuan Yue 6–3, 6–3 in the first round.

Following her loss, a Romanian media outlet published a news piece with the title: “How much money did Simona Halep take for her embarrassing performance in the first round of the WTA 250 Hong Kong?”

After this, the fan expressed frustration over criticism of Simona Halep in an Instagram post, feeling compelled to defend her publicly. Halep then replied, thanking the fan and appreciating the encouragement. She shared that simply being back on the court feels like a victory and urged the fan to enjoy tennis and ignore negativity.

“Thank you for your support. I don't normally do this but I liked how you reacted and I really appreciate it. Listen, doesn't matter what people say, for me it is a victory to be back on the court. And i m very proud of it!!! Everything is too beautiful to let these little things touching us. Enjoy tennis, enjoy watching who you like and just ignore the rest and?! Keep smiling” Halep said.

Simona Halep after Hong Kong Open exit - “I have to give myself patience and try to get better day by day"

Simona Halep aims to take it step by step after Hong Kong Open exit. Source: Getty

After her first-round exit from the 2024 Hong Kong Open, Halep stated in a press conference that she didn’t play badly and praised her opponent, Yuan Yue. She added that her body needs to be stronger to compete and plans to work harder with patience.

"My level was not bad at all but the opponent played really well and had confidence. I'm not happy with the way I played but it was much better than the previous match," Halep said, via BBC.

"It depends on the wildcards, but I just want to work harder because I need a stronger body to perform at this level. I will take it slow. I have to give myself patience and try to get better day by day," she added.

The former world No. 1 is currently ranked No. 883 on the WTA Tour. Before the doping controversy, Halep won 24 WTA singles titles, including two Grand Slam singles titles.