Simona Halep refuses to use Iga Swiatek’s name as Romainian gives painful interview

Simona Halep refused to use Iga Swiatek’s name during a savage interview where the Romanian tennis player blasted the former world No.1.

Halep, who has topped the world rankings before herself, was banned for four years – later reduced to nine months – because of doping offences.

She had tested positive for Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open, but has since returned to the court following the expiration of her reduced ban.

However, Halep has been left frustrated by what she believes are lax punishments for Swiatek and ATP star Jannik Sinner, who have both been caught up in doping scandals this year.

Commenting on the case involving Swiatek, Halep said: “The woman player – I don’t want to give name, you know about who I’m talking about – she had the three-week suspension, then she played two events, and then she gets again suspension. What is this? I mean, I don’t understand. So I feel it is not fair.

Salep returned from her ban earlier this year, but has admitted she was shocked at how difficult it was to get up to speed with professional tennis again.

She continued: “I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to come back.

“I thought ‘I know the feelings, I know how I have to train’ – but suddenly it was so difficult to manage the emotions before the matches. I have always been emotional before matches, but now I feel sick in the stomach again.

“When I did play matches, I felt a little bit soft [physically]. The steps that you have to do towards the ball, towards the corners, they were not there. I think the brain was not sending the right message to the legs.

“Every day I stay on the court, doing all what I did before. But when I start to play a match, it’s different. I played two tournaments, and for three days I was so sore. So this is my main goal: to get some matches, to get some wins, to get the confidence back.