By: ELISABETH BECK
Staff Writer
Simona Halep, a two-time grand slam champion, tested positive for taking a self-enhancing drug. She tested positive for Roxadustat, a drug that could help gain endurance. This being Halep’s first time testing positive for a drug test, it could lead her to two years of suspension from being able to compete or attend any tennis events held by governing bodies of the sport. Halep had already reported in September 2022 that she was finished with her 2022 season of tennis due to having nasal surgery. She has always had a hard time breathing but never considered the surgery since it would take her away from tennis for three months. But now with being suspended, Halep will be off the courts for longer. Halep is in disbelief, and tweets “I will fight to the end to prove that I never knowingly took a prohibited substance.”