"Their silence tells you everything" – Suspended British tennis player Tara Moore criticizes Novak Djokovic’s PTPA for Simona Halep favoritism
Suspended British tennis player Tara Moore has blasted Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) for displaying favoritism for Simona Halep as the multi-Grand Slam champion faces doping charges.
Founded by Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2019, the PTPA is said to represent the men’s and women’s singles players inside the top 500 and doubles players inside the top 200 in the world rankings with the aim to “create transparency and fairness throughout decision-making in professional tennis.”
With former World No. 1 Halep’s provisional suspension due to a positive doping test coming to light, the PTPA promptly published an official statement extending support to Halep.
"The PTPA is committed to ensuring that Simona Halep, and every player, has a fair appeal and complete due process. We will fight for her rights and look to advocate for fairness and transparency for all players," the statement read.
However, Moore, who was the British No. 1 women’s doubles player at the time of her suspension earlier in 2022, did not hold back in voicing the reality of their support when one individual questioned Djokovic’s organization about the same.
"Do the PTPA help other players that are named in the ITIA website or do they just fight for former Grand Slam Champions like Halep? Haven't seen this statement for others?" one person wrote.
Do the PTPA help other players that are named in the ITIA website or do they just fight for former Grand Slam Champions like Halep? Haven't seen this statement for others? twitter.com/ptpaplayers/st…
"Their silence tells you everything," Tara Moore responded.
@TheTennisTalker Their silence tells you everything.
Moore, who was ranked World No. 83, faced a provisional suspension in June 2022 after the ITIA found the presence of prohibited substances – Nandrolone metabolites and Boldenone – in her A sample while competing at a WTA 250 tournament in Bogota, Colombia, where she was the runner-up with partner Emina Bektas.
She had addressed the suspension on social media, writing:
"I have never knowingly taken a banned substance in my career. I am investigating how the positive result could have occurred and look forward to proving that I am a clean athlete."
https://t.co/MuCjYaMMso
"In almost 30 years of working, I have never faced a situation like this" - Simona Halep's coach Patrick Mouratoglou breaks silence on doping scandal
Simona Halep changed her training team earlier this year and hired well-known tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who was previously Serena Williams' longtime coach. After Halep's positive doping test revelation, the coach came under fire and was subjected to speculation.
Mouratoglou, however, chose to speak very little about the issue until recently, when the Frenchman made a social media post regarding it. He expressed his shock at the incident and pledged to support the Romanian throughout the ordeal.
"First, I want to express how much of a shock our team has been in since Simona informed me about the positive doping test from the US Open. In almost 30 years of working with hundreds of professional athletes, I have never faced a situation like this," he wrote.
"Since Simona's positive test last week, I have chosen to stay relatively silent. My priority has been to put my energy into helping her and supporting her in establishing the truth every day," he added.