Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian seemingly mocks Simona Halep with Sharapova-inspired dig amid news of 4-year ban

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian made a mocking remark seemingly directed at Simona Halep amid the news of the Romanian's four-year doping suspension.

Halep was provisionally suspended in October 2022 following a positive doping test at the US Open. While the former World No. 1 initially tested positive for a banned substance called ‘Roxadustat,’ she was slapped with another doping violation earlier this year, regarding irregularities found in her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

On Tuesday, September 12, following numerous delays, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) released a statement announcing that Halep has been handed a 4-year doping suspension. Halep, however, has maintained her innocence throughout the episode.

Amid the news of the ban, Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian yet again took a sly dig at Halep, who denied Serena Williams her eighth Wimbledon title by defeating her in the 2019 final.

Ohanian posted a throwback picture of himself attending Williams’ 2019 US Open first-round match against Maria Sharapova. The image, which was taken right after Williams defeated Sharapova, showed Alexis Ohanian donning a D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) t-shirt, which he had previously hidden under his buttoned jacket.

It is worth noting that Sharapova had also tested positive for a banned substance in 2016, and was handed a 15-month suspension.

“Some fashion is timeless,” Ohanian said in his latest post with the T-shirt, seemingly taunting Simona Halep.

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"This decision makes no sense to me" – Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou on Simona Halep's 4-year suspension

Simona Halep and Serena Williams at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships

Just months before her retirement at the 2022 US Open, Serena Williams’ longtime coach Patrick Mouratoglou assumed a new role as Simona Halep’s coach.

Their collaboration paid quick dividends as the Romanian reached the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships and also re-entered the top 10 by winning the WTA 1000 Canadian Open.

Ever since Halep was handed the provisional suspension, Patrick Mouratoglou has firmly backed the two-time Grand Slam champion and vouched for her innocence. Following the latest news of the ITIA handing Simona Halep a 4-year ban, the French coach rallied behind his charge yet again.

“It is such a shame! I sat there during the whole hearing and this decision makes no sense to me!” he said in an Instagram comment.

With Halep revealing that she will appeal her case to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Mouratoglou said he remains hopeful that the CAS will make the right decision.

“I am shocked and hope that the CAS, which is an independent Tribunal contrary to the one that just made the judgement, will see the truth,” he said.

Patrick Mouratoglou on Instagram