Simona Halep is not allowed to take part in the US Open. © APA/afp / THOMAS SAMSON

Simona Halep banned from US Open

The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep was removed from the US Open field on Monday because of the provisional doping ban imposed on her.

August 22, 2023

From: cst/apa

The US Tennis Association announced that instead of the two-time Grand Slam winner, US professional Taylor Townsend will now be in the main draw of the tournament starting next Monday. The ex-world number one Halep was provisionally suspended in October 2022 after a positive doping test.

An independent court in London postponed a final verdict, scheduled for early August, indefinitely. Halep, 31, gave a positive sample while participating in the US Open in August 2022.

Simona Halep with her trainer Darren Cahill. © AFP / BRENTON EDWARDS

The banned substance roxadustat, which was listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) banned list in 2022, was found on her. Halep always protested her innocence, and she also rejected new allegations of irregularities in her biological athlete passport. The fact that the verdict is taking so long is unusual.