Simona Halep loses first match after doping ban as Paula Badosa rallies back in Miami

MIAMI, Fla.—For the first time in 18 months, shouts of “Si-mo-na, Si-mo-na!” rang out on tennis stadium once again as former world No. 1 Simona Halep returned to the Miami Open after serving out her doping violation ban. But it wouldn’t be enough to carry her over the finish line, as Halep couldn’t overcome a stern test from world No. 80 Paula Badosa in the first round.

Halep came out swinging like a woman on a mission—or, like a player determined to send a message to the rest of the field. Instead it was Badosa, who pulled out from the BNP Paribas Open two weeks ago due to a lingering low back injury, who earned a statement victory on Tuesday, rallying 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round.

“We (both) haven’t played much and also today it wasn’t very easy because it was windy, but I think we played pretty good. Especially at the end, it was a big battle,” Badosa told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj after her victory.

“I’m really happy that I got the win because for me, Simona is a tough one, especially mentally. I played a few times against her, and I struggled a lot so for me it was a big win.”

It’s also been a long journey to this moment for Halep, who was suspended back in October 2022 after testing positive for roxadustat, a banned substance well-known in professional cycling. Halep has always maintained her innocence, and what followed was a nearly year-and-a-half long battle to return to competition.

Read more: Simona Halep returns at the Miami Open: A timeline of how we got here

Initially receiving a four-year ban from the ITIA—a sentence that alone took nearly a year to arrive at—Halep then appealed to CAS. The Romanian’s ban was subsequently reduced to nine months, making her immediately eligible to compete at the Miami Open with a wild card courtesy of tournament director James Blake.

"Playing so well, feeling so well on court, feeling so well outside of the court with so many people that are very nice to me and giving me the love, I would say that this day is going to stay very special for me," Halep reflected afterward. "Of course, I had many results in the past, big results. But here it's something more than tennis, it's something personal...

"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."

In between lobbying for a speedier verdict and putting together her appeal, Halep kept her fans up to date on social media with frequent training videos and photos as she eagerly waited to get back on the courts. For a set and a half, that hunger showed through as she worked out the rust and kept Badosa pinned behind the baseline.

Halep didn’t let her opponent get comfortable as she raced out to a 6-1 lead with a double break—but eventually, her lack of match fitness appeared to become a factor. Halep, who hit 10 double faults in three sets, received a medical time out for treatment on her right shoulder at 5-4 in the second as she struggled with her serve. Sensing her opportunity, Badosa grew in confidence as she worked her way back after dropping the first set and closed out the victory in three sets.

“I was really suffering at the first set, but I tried to stay very positive. It’s not easy, because honestly I’m not with confidence because I haven’t played much,” Badosa said. “This injury has been very tough for me.

“I hope I can play a lot of matches and get that ‘Paula’ again, mentally a strong Paula. Hopefully that happens soon and I can get back to my level.”

Good friend and No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka awaits in the second round.