“I see that it is very difficult to recover the lost time,” Simona Halep said earlier this year, on the quest to make a comeback. After successfully clearing the doping allegations imposed on her, she has been making attempts to regain momentum. Although the case caused her to lose precious months that can’t ever be turned back, she is looking to move on from the past and focus on the present. Amid her recent practice sessions, new discussions have emerged regarding her presence. Former WTA player Coco Vandeweghe commented on the complexity of Halep’s comeback.

In an October 26 episode of the TC live podcast, she said, “Been seeing some glimpses of Simona Hale up here and there and trying to see what she still has left in the tank post her drug suspension that she had to fight so hard to reduce and get back onto tour. It takes some time, and she’s been going through a couple hiccups, some injuries here and there, not really feeling her gain so well when it came down to it, when we saw her in Miami. So it’s definitely going to be a big question mark around Simona Halep of where is she at and also at the end of the year, trying to get a couple matches before we’re hoping to see her in the Australian Open.”

The former World No. 1’s suspension began when she tested positive for the banned substance Roxadustat in the 2022 US Open. This led to an initial four-year ban that was reduced to nine months after an intense legal fight. Halep returned to competition in March but has only played two matches since then. She showed flashes of her usual dominance in Miami but ultimately lost a hard-fought three-set match to Paula Badosa in the first round. She then competed at a WTA 125 event in Paris, where she had to retire against McCartney Kessler despite winning the first set, due to a troubling knee injury. This injury has kept her sidelined since. However, there are signs of progress.

Halep recently hit the practice courts in Dubai with World No. 5 Elena Rybakina, who shared their session with fans. “Back at it. Great practice with @simonahalep,” Rybakina posted on social media.

Dubai’s warm climate makes it a preferred training location, and practicing with a top player like Rybakina signals Halep’s determination to build her game back up before the next season. As fans and analysts look forward to Halep’s potential return at the Australian Open, her efforts in training are promising signs. However, there is quite a detailed narrative to a comeback story, an emotional one.

Simona Halep reflects on the “difficult” comeback

After months of fighting to clear her name, Simona Halep was welcomed back to tennis with high hopes. But the journey back has proved far tougher than expected. The former World No. 1 has had a rough season where she struggled to regain her form. Halep’s reflections on this season reveal just how deep her struggles have been, both on and off the court. She acknowledged that although her doping suspension has been overturned, the impact of her time away from the sport has left lasting effects.

In an interview with We Are Tennis in July 2024, Halep opened up about the duality of her emotions in her comeback journey. “Right now, I see the glass from both sides,” Halep shared. On one hand, she takes comfort in the fact that she successfully proved her innocence and reclaimed her career. However, the time she lost during her suspension has created lasting mental and emotional hurdles, including exhaustion and personal challenges.

“The negative part is the break I had these past two years; it brought me many issues related to the mental aspect, exhaustion, even personal problems,” she explained, highlighting how hard it has been to overcome these difficulties and find her rhythm on the tour once more. Even with these struggles, Halep remained committed to maintaining a positive mindset, even after acknowledging the challenges in doing so.

“We all need some balance and to see the positive side,” she reflected. For Halep, the greatest battle has been staying emotionally balanced amid a difficult comeback, and she admits that it’s been harder than she anticipated. “I fought with everything. I’m still fighting, but I did not expect the comeback to be so difficult.” As she continues to battle against the odds, it still remains to be seen how long it will take to regain a position.