Romania’s Halep tests positive for Roxadustat

Romania's best tennis player Simona Halep announced on Friday, on her Instagram page, that she tested positive, at an anti-doping control, for a substance called Roxadustat.

"Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth. I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life," former world leader Halep wrote on her Instagram page.

"Throughout my career, the idea of cheating never ever crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all values I have been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed. I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out," Halep stated.

Simona Halep, the winner of two Grand Slam titles, namely Roland Garros (2018) and Wimbledon (2019), underscored that "It's not about the titles or the money. It's about honor, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years."

Romania's Halep, WTA's 9th, tested positive at the US Open tournament, according to APA, where the Romanian national was defeated in the first round in New York by Ukrainian Daria Snigur, with a score of 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.