Simona Halep's highly anticipated return to tennis ended in a rollercoaster 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Spain's Paula Badosa at the Miami Open on Tuesday. The Romanian star, playing her first match since a doping ban slashed from four years to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this month, showed flashes of her Grand Slam-winning brilliance despite the defeat.
Ranked outside the Top 1,000 after her suspension, Halep captivated fans with her trademark grit and powerful baseline play. 🌟 'It felt really good,' she said post-match. 'The crowd energy… it’s a special day.' Her 2022 U.S. Open exit – where she tested positive for roxadustat – now feels worlds away as she eyes a clay-court comeback ahead of the French Open.
Badosa, herself rebounding from injury struggles, praised Halep’s 'unreal level' in their three-set thriller. With Paris’ red dirt just two months away, all eyes are on whether the 2018 Roland Garros champ can rally back to peak form. 🏆
