Tennis: Simona Halep withdraws from Madrid Open citing fitness issues

Simona Halep has pulled out of next week'sMadridOpenin order to work on her fitness as the Romanian said she needs more time to get physically ready to compete at the highest level after being out of action for over 18 months. The former Wimbledon and FrenchOpen champion had her four-year doping ban cut to nine months by the top court for global sport in March and made her return as a wildcard at the MiamiOpen, where she fell in the first round to Paula Badosa.

The former world number one was suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat - a banned drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells - at the U.S.Openthat year. The 32-year-old was also charged with another offence last year due to irregularities in her athlete biological passport, a method designed to monitor different blood parameters over time to reveal potential doping.

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But Halep, who denied any wrongdoing, was allowed to return to action after the Court of Arbitration for Sport cut her ban to nine months after accepting the Romanian's explanation that a contaminated supplement was to blame for her positive drugs test.

Halep, who won the title inMadridin 2016 and 2017, was ranked inside the top 10 when she was suspended but has since seen her ranking plummet to 1,146.