Miami Open: Badosa spoils Halep’s return

MIAMI, March 20

Paula Badosa spoiled Simona Halep’s return from a doping ban, fighting back to claim a gritty 1-6 6-4 6-3 win on Tuesday to move into the second round of the Miami Open and set up what is sure to be an emotion-packed match with Aryna Sabalenka.

Halep had been the player in the spotlight coming into Miami accepting a wild card when her four-year suspension was cut to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But the focus quickly shifted to Sabalenka after the world No. 2’s long-time 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 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.

While Sabalenka has yet to speak, fellow players have rallied around her. “I can’t even imagine what she’s going through right now,” said former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki after her 6-1 6-4 win over Frenchwoman Clara Burel. — Reuters

Wozniacki questions wild card for Halep

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 wildcard’s loss. But Halep’s return on a wildcard did not sit well with Wozniacki. “I have always wanted a clean sport, fair for everybody. 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 wildcards,” Wozniacki said.

Halep defended herself 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. Only one person being negative about me is not that important because I have hundreds of people giving me love.” Reuters