Wozniacki not feeling the love as Halep returns

MIAMI — Fans gave Simona Halep a warm welcome back to tennis at the Miami Open on Tuesday in her first match back from a doping suspension but the Romanian received a frostier reception from former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki.

There were plenty of cheers and chants of "Si-Mon-ah. Si-Mon-ah "from excited flag-waving fans during the wild card's 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 loss to Spain's Paula Badosa, who also complimented the twice Grand Slam champion after the match.

But Halep's return on a wild card did not sit well with Wozniacki.

"I've been very outspoken in the past how I feel about doping and all of that," said Wozniacki, adding that she likes Halep. "I have always wanted a clean sport, fair for everybody. I think it's definitely still my opinion.

"This is not directly at Simona, but if someone purposely cheats, if someone has tested positive for doping, it's my personal belief that I don't think people should be awarded wild cards afterward.

"If you want to come back, and it's been a mistake, I understand, you should work your way up from the bottom."

Wozniacki defeated Frenchwoman Clara Burel 6-1, 6-4 for her first-round win on Tuesday.

Halep accepted a wild card into the Miami Open after her four-year ban was cut to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Former Wimbledon and French Open champion Halep was suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for Roxadustat — a banned drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells — at that year's US Open.

Halep vigorously denied the charges against her and was again defending herself on Tuesday against Wozniacki's comments.

"I didn't do anything wrong," said Halep. "I didn't cheat. I didn't dope.

"So it's better if we read the decision from CAS that it was a contaminated supplement, it wasn't doping.

"I never had something to do with doping. I never doped, so I'm not a cheater.

"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.

"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."

Halep has won many tournaments, including two Grand Slams. She insisted Tuesday's return will stand out as a special moment in her career.

"It feels really good," said Halep. "I had emotions, positive emotions to see the crowd supporting me was so nice and gave me a lot of energy and the level of tennis was pretty good, unexpected I think, for most of the people.

"It is a special day.

"I would say this day is going to stay very special for me.

"Of course, I have many results in the past, big results but here is something more than tennis, it is something personal."

Badosa set up what is sure to be an emotion-packed match with Aryna Sabalenka, as the focus quickly shifted to Sabalenka after the world No 2's longtime boyfriend, Belarusian former pro ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, died in what police said on Tuesday was an "apparent suicide".

If Badosa was having a tough time dealing with Halep it will be nothing compared to the mental challenge she will confront in her next match on Thursday or Friday when she faces Sabalenka, someone she calls her best friend.

Badosa said she has talked several times with Sabalenka during the last horrific 24 hours and just hopes her friend can find the strength from somewhere when she steps on court.

"It's not an easy challenge, it's a mental one," said Badosa. "She's one of my best friends.

"Of course, I know what she's going through.

"Yesterday I spoke with her a lot of time, this morning the same, so I know what she's going through.

"I know the entire situation, what is happening.

"That for me is a little bit shocking also to go through that because at the end she's my best friend and I don't want her to suffer."

Sabalenka, who has a first-round bye, so far has given no indication she plans to withdraw with posts on social media on Tuesday showing her at work under a hot sun on a Hard Rock Stadium practice court.

The Miami-Dade police department confirmed on Tuesday that they had responded to a call at a Miami resort about reports of a man jumping off a balcony.

"At approximately 12:39 am, Bal Harbour Police and Fire Rescue were dispatched to the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in reference to a male that jumped from a balcony," the police said.

"The Miami-Dade Police Department, Homicide Bureau, responded and has taken over the investigation of the apparent suicide of Mr Konstantin Koltsov.

"No foul play is suspected."

The former forward, who was 42, played for the Belarus national team in the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and spent parts of three seasons with the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins between 2003 and 2006.

Sabalenka and Koltsov were first linked in June 2021, according to People magazine, and she has frequently posted photos of them together on her Instagram account.

While Sabalenka had not spoken on the matter at the time of writing, fellow players rallied around her.

"I can't even imagine what she's going through right now," said Wozniacki. "I'm saying that. I'm also tearing up.

"I reached out to her and I told her that I was here if she needed anything.

"I'm here, we're here for her."

Reuters