Jon Wertheim’s interview with Simona Halep: Things we learned and bonus commentary
For one, the vindicated Romanian believes she now has a third major title—her successful appeal. On March 5, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced Simona Halep’s doping ban from four years to nine months. Two weeks later, the two-time Grand Slam champion returned to action on the WTA Tour, losing in the first round of the Miami Open to Paula Badosa in three sets. That was the first match Halep played since the 2022 US Open.
Today, at a WTA 125 tournament in Paris, Halep resumes her comeback—something she spoke about candidly with Tennis Channel’s Jon Wertheim in April. Their sit-down conversation from Bucharest is an exclusive, in-depth, no-holds-barred look at the 32-year-old’s state of mind before, during, and after her suspension. It also includes her thoughts on what’s next, both for her and for the anti-doping system currently in place.
Here are five big takeaways that emerged from the interview, which you can watch in full at the top of this page. (Note: Some quotes are from portions of the interview not included in the video cut.)