Simona Halep set to miss French Open as doping hearing delay continues

Former World No. 1 Simona Halep is set to miss the French Open in 2023 as her doping hearing continues to be postponed.

Simona Halep announced on October 2022, that she had tested positive for Roxadustat, a banned substance, at the 2022 US Open. On the same day, the International Tennis Integrity Agency temporarily suspended her. She has vowed to clear her name since then, but her appeal hearing has been "postponed" on two occasions.

Her father, Stere Halep, recently told Romanian publication Gazeta Sporturilor that the hearing was originally scheduled for April 28th, but was then rescheduled for April 30th. He also stated that they are fine with it because they have done nothing wrong and will go with their heads held high.

"It's good. We don't know anything yet. As you wait, so do we. We don't know what's going on. The deadline was originally set for 28, but as far as I understand it was postponed to 30. We're fine. When we are clean, we go all the way to the white cloths," he said.

Simona Halep's former coach, Firicel Tomai, with whom she worked between 2009 and 2013, also gave his verdict on the situation, saying:

"The trial was supposed to take place twice so far, but it was postponed for various reasons. Physical samples were sent, the medicines or the can, and as far as I know they were refused, an expertise was requested at the laboratory."

The former French Open champion will miss the deadline for a main card entry at Roland Garros as the trial is now scheduled for April 30. However, if she is cleared, she may be given a wildcard entry in time for the grand slam, which begins on May 28.

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How did Simona Halep fare at the Grand Slam tournaments in 2022?

Simona Halep pictured at the 2022 National Bank Open Toronto - Day 9.

Simona Halep competed in the 2022 Australian Open, where she defeated Magdalena Frech, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Danka Kovinic in the first three rounds to advance to the fourth round, where she was defeated by Alize Cornet in a three-set thriller.

The Romanian then participated in the French Open, where she was defeated in the second round by teenager Qinwen Zheng. She had a panic attack after winning the first set and couldn't focus on the rest of the match afterwards.

The 31-year-old quickly bounced back at Wimbledon, reaching the semifinals without dropping a set, defeating Karolina Muchova, Kirsten Filpkens, Magdalena Frech, Paula Badosa, and Amanda Anisimova before losing to eventual champion Elena Rybakina.

Then, in the first round of the US Open, Simona Halep was stunned by qualifier Daria Snigur and announced that she would not play for the rest of the year after undergoing nose surgery.