“This day is going to stay very special for me” – Halep happy to be back, despite early loss in Miami

Paula Badosa beat Simona Halep 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Miami. She’ll play second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the next round

19 March 2024

Simona Halep, Miami 2024 | © Zuma / Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

writer

Miami Open presented by Itau •First round • completed

See draw

S. HalepvsP. Badosa

Paula Badosa ensured there was to be no fairytale return for Simona Halep as she overcame a slow start to defeat the Romanian 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the Hard Rock Stadium in an absorbing contest.

568 days after Halep’s last competitive match – at the 2022 US Open – the former world No 1 and double Grand Slam champion returned to action at the Miami Open after her four-year doping ban was reduced to a backdated nine months.

Just two weeks ago, the Romanian did not know whether she would play professional tennis again as she waited on the outcome of her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over her initial ban for the banned substance Roxadustat.

But at times, during her first-round match against Badosa in Miami, it looked as though Halep had never been away.

This was especially true in the first set, throughout which she outplayed and outhit the struggling Spaniard in a 38-minute stanza.

“I would rate it as a special day, honestly, considering the period I had” Halep said.

“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.

“Of course, I had many results in the past, big results. But here it’s something more than tennis, it’s something personal. I really love to see that people are appreciating me beside tennis and beside everything that happened.”

Halep broke three times without reply in the opening set courtesy of an impressive display full of typically aggressive shot-making. Badosa was unable to take any of the five break points she generated in the sixth game, as the Romanian’s stubborn defence and consistent depth kept the world No 80 at bay.

The second was a closer affair, with Badosa having tidied up the unforced errors and found her own range – particularly on her backhand.

A single break was enough to level up the match before a tense deciding set ensued.

What an angle 😮@Simona_Halep fighting hard to stay close in the 3rd set!#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/DjriCKd3Eh
— wta (@WTA) March 19, 2024

With Halep starting to look as though she was feeling the strain of her first competitive match in a year-and-a-half, Badosa too appeared to be struggling with a foot problem.

But it was the Spaniard who had the edge, with that potent backhand proving a valuable tool. After trading breaks early in the decider, the Spaniard struck again in the fifth game to move ahead once again before a final break at 5-3 sealed a vital win.

halep enjoys lion’s share of the crowd support

A smiling Halep left the court to a standing ovation, having received strong and vocal support throughout the contest in a clear show of allegiance from the Miami crowd.

But the victory belonged to Badosa, who desperately needed this win after a stuttering start to the season that has been punctuated by recurrent injury.

She was visibly relieved to get over the line in what has been an emotional opening day in Miami.

The Spaniard will next play her close friend and world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who has announced she is to take part in this year’s tournament following the tragic sudden death of her partner on the eve of the competition.

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