Simona Halep believes that Patrick Mouratoglou’s idea was never to do something that would result in her failing a doping test, but it was a bad tragedy for everyone involved.
After starting to work with Mouratoglou in April 2022, Halep – one of the most respected players in the locker room – failed a doping test that same year. Shortly after the news of Halep’s positive test for roxadustat, some began to question whether Mouratoglou had any responsibility in the matter.
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Almost a year later, Mouratoglou uploaded a video on Instagram, in which he stated that he actually provided Halep with a supplement that later became contaminated with a packaged substance. In his defense, Mouratoglou argued that Halep was never given a banned substance, but that this was because the supplement company failed to mention that the product contained a banned substance.
Now, Halep, 32, has confirmed that some people around her accused Mouratoglou of being «forceful». But before Halep was forced to return to tennis, it was hard to see Mouratoglou in that way, and despite their partnership coming to an end.
«Surely it wasn’t a deliberate mistake, or how should I say it? Something must have gone wrong with me. No, and I heard a lot of voices. [say] As I used him. It’s not true. He was a coach and I always trusted the people I worked with. . . So I truly believe that if you don’t believe in your team, you won’t be able to perform at your highest level. So I believed, I would work with the academy with the people and everything was fine,» Halep said in an interview with John Wertheim for the Tennis Channel.
«So there was nothing that gave me anything to take or give anything. No, everything was clear about doping, so it’s nothing that he did on purpose, nothing.»
Halep was going through a difficult time but not everything was negative about the situation
During the year and a half of her fight to clear her name, Halep has often admitted that it was the most difficult time of her life and that her name and everything else was connected to the doping allegations.
While fighting to clear her name is a big fight, Halep’s focus is on finding other things and enjoying herself off the court. This includes taking on certain tasks that you may not have been able to do previously due to the demanding tennis calendar and responsibilities.
“I was more focused on the person than myself. [as] An athlete. So I was taking care of my body, I was taking care of my mind, I turned everything into a personal lifestyle…» Halep said.
«In these 25 years I didn’t have a chance to have a normal life, so I enjoyed my day-to-day life because I was always strict on the schedule and always had something to do. I would say the schedule was like an army. And now that I can go to the pool, I can go to the barbershop, I could go on to do all this man, and man I am very pleased.
Halep on her new outlook on life and tennis
In the same interview, Halep said that she now feels like a three-time Grand Slam champion, not a two-time Grand Slam champion. On the court, Halep won two Grand Slams. But winning the year-and-a-half battle to clear her name and return to tennis was a huge victory.
While the 32-year-old Romanian hopes to return to her former tennis game, she knows it won’t be easy to get back to her former heights, but she feels happy now.
“I’m really smiling right now and like I said, I’m relieved. I probably feel free, I did not realize this feeling before it happened. I was always an idea. «I’ve always focused on how to be the best and be the best in tennis,» Halep said.
«Now I see something different. I’m older, of course, I have some titles behind me, so I have experience and now I see more joy for tennis. Of course, it will be difficult to get the rhythm back, but I’m happy. More, I think it’s the best thing for me now.»
This week, Halep competed at the WTA 125 tournament at the Trophée Clarins, where she went straight sets against McCartney Kesler in the first round before being forced to retire due to a knee injury.
