Simona Halep Withdrawn From 2023 US Open Amid Suspension

| by Sebastian Dahlman

Simona Halep won't be playing at the 2023 US Open as she was automatically withdrawn from the event as a suspended player.

It's coming up to exactly one year since Simona Halep last stood on a tennis court. It was August 29th, 2022, when last played, and it was a round-one match against Daria Snigur at the US Open. She shockingly lost that match in three sets, but an even bigger shock was incoming.

Halep provided samples after that match, samples that ultimately were positive for a banned substance, and she was provisionally banned from the sport. It was a shock to Halep and all those who knew her, considering how seriously she takes her career.

Fast forward to a year later, Halep was automatically withdrawn from the event as she was still provisionally suspended. It's been a whole year with no resolution for Halep as she tries to clear her name and save her legacy.

The impact on her career has already been too great as she's missed an entire year of tennis and competing, a year she'll never get back, but saving the legacy is important as well. Her legacy as one of the most respected players on the WTA Tour took a big hit with the suspension, especially after her biological passport showed some inconsistencies as well.

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Halep herself has been deeply traumatized by this whole ordeal proclaiming it a witch hunt due to the way her hearing was pushed back multiple times. Her hearing has began in the meantime though a ruling hasn't come down yet.

She and the whole tennis world are waiting for any kind of resolution. In the meantime, her name disappeared from the Top 500 of WTA Rankings and now she won't be playing at the US Open either. A statement from the event confirmed it.

According to the Grand Slam Rulebook, Simon Halep (ROU) was automatically withdrawn from the US Open at the time that the Qualifying draw took place due to her provisional suspension. Taylor Townsend (USA) moves into the Main Draw. Vera Zvonareva is the first player out.

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