Former WTA No. 1, Simona Halep, was the high-profile name who tumbled the most in the latest rankings within a one-week period.
Halep won the Canadian Open at last summer's US swing, but those 900 points accounted for the bulk of her points that kept her ranking afloat in the world's Top 60 for nearly a year. They have since been wiped off next to her name and she is currently ranked a lowly 578th with 70 points.
Halep hasn't played since a shock first-round loss to Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur at last year's US Open. She ended her campaign prematurely after that match in order to undergo nasal surgery to fix breathing difficulties.
Soon after that, Halep revealed that she was provisionally suspended for failing a drugs test at the US Open, and vowed to 'fight for the truth' in a lengthy statement she posted on social media. Halep went through a period of emotional turmoil in subsequent months with delays in her independent tribunal hearing.
Halfway into the new season, Halep did not see any progress in that regard, and in May she was hit with a second anti-doping charge for irregularities related to her biological passport, a decision made by an independent expert panel who evaluate the players' different blood indicators within a period of time so that they can associate any irregularities that might indicate rule violations.
Halep was left devasted by the additional charge and accused the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) of harassment, and felt helpless in her efforts to fight for a fair and just assessment, as her case was laid in the queue.
Eventually, her long-awaited hearing took place towards the end of June in London, where Halep, together with her lawyers presented her arguments and was expected to receive a first verdict in two weeks. But as of August, Halep hasn't heard back.
The two-time Grand Slam champion appeared in the 2023 US Open entry list, but it is looking increasingly doubtful if she'll even play this season.
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