Five hundred and sixty-eight days after she last struck a ball in a match of any consequence, Simona Halep returned to professional tennis from her shortened doping ban. The comeback came in a tough, gruelling battle that resulted in a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 loss against Paula Badosa of Spain in the first round of the Miami Open.
Despite the defeat, the former No 1’s performance marks a first step back as she tries to return to the top level of the sport. Halep has not competed since she lost to Daria Snigur in the first round of the 2022 US Open – she tested positive for roxadustat after that match.
