SHOCKING! Simona Halep pulls out of Roland Garros as old injury concerns come back

In her second match of the year at the Trophee Clarins (a WTA 125K event), Halep faced America’s Mccartney Kessler on May 15th. After winning the first set, Halep was forced to retire due to her knee pain and it’s due to this reason, she won’t be playing at the Roland Garros.

Well, yesterday didn’t go as I hoped on court. The knee pain that has been lingering since Miami came back and unfortunately I couldn’t continue. It’s not the way I would have liked to spend my time in Paris, but no one said this comeback was going to be easy. Simona Halep wrote on X 

Here’s her tweet:

Simona Halep doesn’t blame Patrick Mouratoglou for her doping ban

Simona Halep was suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after she tested positive for the roxadustat drug. The ITIA initially banned her for four years, but it was cut to nine months after the two-time Grand Slam champion’s continuous appeal. 

In her defense, Halep said she accidentally consumed contaminated supplements. In a video uploaded by her ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou last November, he revealed it must be due to him that Halep consumed the prohibited substance. However, Halep did not put the blame on Mouratoglou, saying she trusts the people she works with.

It definitely was not an intentional mistake, or how should I say? That he wanted to do something wrong with me? No. And I heard many voices [say] that I was manipulated by him. That’s not true. He was my coach and I always trusted the people I work with. Simona Halep said on Tennis Channel  

She added that she won’t be able to perform to her fullest if she doesn’t trust her team. Notably, Mouratoglou, who also coached 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, started working with the Romanian six months prior to the doping incident. 

Halep turned pro in 2006 and lifted two Grand Slam titles- the 2018 French Open and the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. She would have retired if her doping ban wasn’t reduced to nine months.