"Coaches do victory laps when players succeed" - Journalist calls out Serena Williams' ex-coach for not taking accountability in Simona Halep's ban
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim has called out Patrick Mouratoglou for not taking accountability in Simona Halep's doping ban, wondering why coaches who embrace the spotlight in times of success don't do the same when their players are struggling.
The ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) handed Halep a four-year ban earlier this month for "intenional" violations of tennis' anti-doping programme. The Romanian tested postive for a banned substance named 'Roxadustat' at the US Open last year and has been on the sidelines since.
Halep has continued to profess her innocence in the matter. This opinion was shared by her coach Patrick Mouratoglou as well. Mouratoglou, who previously coached Serena Williams, began coaching the Romanian just a short time before her doping saga began. Hence, his name was mentioned in the ITIA report as well for approving the nutrient supplement that was allegedly contaminated.
In a column he wrote for Sports Illustrated, Jon Wertheim detailed how Simona Halep abruptly cut ties with her entire team after beginning her new partnership with the French coach.
"We need to talk about Patrick. Coaches do victory laps and interviews when their players succeed. Fine. But fairness demands coaches must be made to answer when players falter. Those are the rules of engagement," Wertheim wrote.
"In 2022, Simona Halep began working with Patrick Mouratoglou. As we wrote last summer, this caused considerable concern in some corners. Halep—hardly considered rash and impetuous—abruptly cut ties with her entire team, many members having been with her for years and thus were left feeling betrayed," he added.
The American journalist also pointed to how the former World No. 1 suffered a panic attack at the French Open -- for the very first time in her career. This was then followed by the doping test, along with an unexpected divorce from her husband just days before their first wedding anniversary.
While Wertheim admitted that correlation did not mean causation, he could not help but think about how a player who was known to be thoroughly professional until then could suddenly be caught in the midst of so much drama.
"For the first time in her career, she suffered an on-court panic attack at the French Open. After a successful Wimbledon and Canada tournament, she lost in the first round in New York. Then a positive doping test. And surgery. And a life change, to boot."
"This doesn’t mean there is guilt nor negligence. It doesn’t mean there is doping. It doesn’t mean that correlation equals causation. But that’s a lot of churn and flux and drama for a player always known for her measured professionalism. If you cloak yourself in the spotlight when the going is good, in the inverse/adverse, there must be accountability as well," Jon Wertheim said.
Simona Halep set to appeal to CAS after her 4-year doping ban
Meanwhile, Simona Halep is set to appeal to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) over her doping ban, hoping to revoke the suspension. At the same time, Wertheim noted that CAS could also increase the sentence based on evidence.
Regardless, he was interested in seeing how the case would turn out, especially if the ITIA will stick with his earlier recommendation of giving the Romanian a six-year ban instead of the current four.
"Simona Halep has the right to appeal to CAS; and she will be exercising that right. Historically, CAS has slashed the punishments imposed on tennis players. But it has the right to increase sentences based on evidence. It will be interesting to see whether the ITIA will play hardball and reiterate its recommendation for a six-year ban. Which is to say, there are a lot more sets to play here," Wertheim wrote.