MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) 鈥 Simona Halep will return to tennis at the Miami Open this month after winning her appeal of a doping suspension and having the penalty reduced from four years to nine months.
鈥淭hank you to the tournament for giving me this opportunity and I cannot wait to be back on court and competing," the two-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 player posted Thursday . "See you all soon!鈥
She was given a wild-card invitation for the main draw at the hard-court tournament on the site of the Miami Dolphins' stadium. Women's play begins March 19.
Halep, a 32-year-old from Romania, is allowed to resume her tennis career thanks to the decision in her favour announced Tuesday by .
She tested positive for a banned drug at the 2022 U.S. Open and has not competed on tour since then. Halep argued to the court that her exposure to the substance came via a contaminated supplement.
While a three-judge panel determined that Halep bore 鈥渟ome level of fault or negligence鈥 for not exercising 鈥渟ufficient care鈥 while using the supplement, it said 鈥渟he bore no significant fault or negligence.鈥 The ruling said 鈥渉er anti-doping rule violations were not intentional.鈥
Halep won major championships , by beating Serena Williams in the final, and , by beating Sloane Stephens in the final.
___
AP tennis:
