"It’s her own doing, so I am not going to feel super sympathetic, it sucks" – Sports writer and broadcaster on Simona Halep’s doping suspension
Sports writer and broadcaster Kenny Ducey recently touched upon Simona Halep’s doping suspension.
Speaking about the gravity of the situation on the Inside-In podcast, Ducey noted that the news came as a shock to the tennis world but also remarked that the issue would have been even more significant had Simona Halep been a true contender for Grand Slams.
"We’re all shocked. She’s been on and off the court this year, and obviously, I think it would be more shocking if this were last year or the year before, where she (was) going deep in the Slams and she obviously won Wimbledon three years ago," he said.
Further reflecting upon the positive doping test, the sports writer termed the incident as "her own doing" and said that he didn’t feel sympathetic towards Simona Halep, but also remarked that the former World No. 1 wasn’t someone he expected to be involved in such a case.
"I mean, obviously, it’s her own doing, so I'm not going to feel super sympathetic; I think that it sucks. There’s really nothing else to say, and it was definitely surprising and I think that, that wasn’t really someone I expected to come out (with a positive doping test)," he said.
Ducey, however, admitted that the Romanian’s suspension was unfortunate for tennis as the two-time Grand Slam champion is a prominent figure in the sport, who has always been considered a tough opponent to beat.
"She’s still regarded as one of the best players on tour. So to lose someone like that, I mean in terms of where it leaves the tour, certainly, I think that there are not too many established names, elder statesmen, that are still contenders for Slams. She was certainly one of them and it still felt like a ride of passage where (it was) a big deal, if you beat her at a Grand Slam," he said.
"We’ll probably see her again" – Kenny Ducey on what Simona Halep’s doping scandal entails
Sports writer Kenny Ducey opined that it wasn’t the end for Simona Halep and believed that she would make a return after the ordeal was over.
"We’ll probably see her again, right? It’s not like she’s gone forever, but ya, I mean, it certainly cast a dark cloud over the season."
The 31-year-old, who ended her season after a first-round exit at the US Open, said that she thought about quitting the sport back in February.
"In February, I was very close to stop tennis because I didn’t believe I have enough power to come back to the top 10. I was going through many anxious moments and I though it is time to stop cause it is emotionally unhealthy," she had said.
Halep, who tested positive for a prohibited substance called “Roxadustat” at the 2022 US Open, added two more titles to her prestigious collection this year – at the Melbourne Summer Set and the Canadian Open. She also reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, where she was competing for the first time since her 2019 title win.