Miami Open 2024: Simona Halep Expresses Unhappiness Over Caroline Wozniacki Criticism

Simona Halep has hit back at Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane said she should not have been given a wild card for the Miami Open. (More Tennis News)

Halep made a quick return to top-level action after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her doping ban from four years to nine months two weeks ago.

The two-time former grand-slam champion tested positive for the blood-boosting drug Roxadustat at the US Open in 2022 and was handed the long suspension last September.

However, CAS accepted Halep바카라�s explanation that she had unwittingly ingested the substance in a contaminated supplement, with the ruling coming 17 months after she was first provisionally suspended.

There has been a lot of support for the Romanian, who was defeated by Paula Badosa in her first match in Florida on Tuesday, but Wozniacki took a different view speaking to reporters after a 6-1 6-4 win over Clara Burel.

바카라�I바카라�ve always liked Simona,바카라� said Wozniacki, also a former world number one. 바카라�We바카라�ve always had a good relationship.

바카라�If someone has tested positive for doping, I understand why a tournament wants a big star in the tournament, but it바카라�s my personal belief, and it바카라�s not a knock on anyone, that I don바카라�t think people should be awarded wild cards afterwards.

바카라�If you want to come back, and it바카라�s been a mistake, I understand, you should work your way up from the bottom.

바카라�Simona바카라�s situation has obviously dragged on for a long time. She got her suspension reduced. It wasn바카라�t a clearance, it was a reduced sentence.

바카라�I just hope for a clean sport. That바카라�s all I want. I want to have good role models for the young generation. It바카라�s a sport that has a lot of money in it, a lot of competitiveness, a lot of competitors. I want a fair fight.바카라�

Halep was less than impressed by Wozniacki바카라�s comments, responding: 바카라�Why did she say that?

바카라�I didn바카라�t do anything wrong. I didn바카라�t cheat. I didn바카라�t dope. Thank you to the tournament for giving me the wild card and have the possibility to play in such a big tournament. It was great to be back.

바카라�Only one person being negative about me is not that important because I have hundreds of people that are giving me love, so I will take that.바카라�

Halep looked like she had never been away as she raced to the first set in just 38 minutes but Spaniard Badosa, who is herself coming back from long-term injury problems, dug in to win 1-6 6-4 6-3.

At her post-match press conference, Halep said: 바카라�I missed this. I had emotions, but positive emotions; the crowd supporting me was so nice.

바카라�The level of tennis was pretty good 바카라� unexpected for most of the people. I think I did a good job today. I바카라�m happy with my first match coming back. I would rate it as a special day, honestly.바카라�

The 32-year-old admitted her career would have been over had the four-year ban been upheld but she remained positive the appeal against it would go her way.

바카라�My parents always taught me that good always prevails,바카라� she said.

바카라�I trust it 100 per cent from the first day until the last day that the truth will come out and the decision will be taken in a fair way.

바카라�I knew I바카라�m clean. I knew I didn바카라�t do anything wrong. I believed that it바카라�s impossible to stay four years for something that doesn바카라�t exist.바카라�

Elsewhere, Venus Williams, 43, remains without a win since last August after a 6-3 6-3 defeat by Russian Diana Shnaider, who is 24 years her junior.