In the tennis world, Iga Swiatek has sparked a fresh controversy. After testing positive for a prohibited substance, the five-time Grand Slam champion received a one-month suspension. In August 2024, she tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample. However, according to the ITIA, it was brought on by tainted melatonin, a controlled over-the-counter drug made and marketed in Poland and used by the Polish celebrity to treat sleep problems and jet lag.
Halep recently posted a lengthy message that made reference to Swiatek receiving preferential treatment. Halep recently wrote a statement on her Instagram: “I’m sitting and trying to understand, but it’s really impossible for me to understand something like this. I stand and ask myself, Why is there such a big difference in treatment and judgment? I can’t find it, and I don’t think there can be a logical answer. It can only be bad will from ITIA, the organization that has done absolutely everything to destroy me despite the evidence.”
For those who don’t know, Halep was suspended for nine months at the 2022 US Open after testing positive for the illegal drug Roxadustat. She further added: “I really wanted to destroy the last years of my career; I wanted something that I could never have imagined would be wanted. I always believed in good; in fairness, I believed in goodness. It was painful, is painful, and maybe the injustice that was done to me will always be painful. How is it possible that in identical cases happening around the same time, ITIA has completely different approaches to my detriment? How could I accept that the WTA and the player’s council did not want to return me the ranking that I deserved?!”
This season, Halep has only participated in two games, and regrettably, she lost both of them. She continued: “I lost two years of my career; I lost many nights when I couldn’t sleep, thoughts, anxiety, and questions without answers, but I won justice. It turned out that it was contamination and that the biological passport was a pure invention. And I won something else; my soul remained clean!! I feel disappointed, I feel mad, I feel frustrated, but I do not feel evil even now. I am grateful for the support and unconditional love of those who have been by my side every day. THANK YOU!”
Halep appeared to be quite unhappy with the course of events in her case, but she also made sure to express gratitude to those who supported her during the highs and lows of her career. She concluded: “In all the naughtiness, I also received love because those who offered me love in those moments really knew me! Perhaps this is the biggest victory! As we know well, every morning the sun rises for everyone, but it’s good to rise, finding yourself with a flawless soul! And that’s how I am, packed and proud of what I am!”
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Simona Halep in 2024
Ranked world no.876, the Romanian played her last match on the 28th of October when she was overcome by world no.50 Yue Yuan 6-3 6-3 in the 1st round in Hong Kong (draw).
At present, during this year Simona achieved a composed 1-4 win-loss record.
Iga Swiatek in 2024
WWWWLWLWWW Now the world no.2, Iga played her last match on the 18th of November when she overcame world no.4 Jasmine Paolini 3-6 6-4 6-4 in the Rubber 2 in (draw).
Currently, during this year Iga achieved a 64-9 match record. Swiatek has won 6 titles in 2024 in Australia, Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome and French Open.
Simona Halep and Iga Swiatek played each other 4 times. Their actual record is 2-2. Before, the last time they locked horns, Iga Swiatek won 7-6(6) 6-4 in the semifinal in Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open) in March 2022.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.
