© Shaun Botterill / Getty Images Europe
Although she currently serves a 4-year suspension for using the forbidden drug roxadustat, Simona Halep will make a surprise comeback on 15th June in an exhibition doubles match against legendary tennis couple Steffi Graff and Andre Agassi held during Sports Festival 2024 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Halep’s partner in the doubles match will be former world number 13 Andrei Pavel. According to a Sports Festival video with Agassi and Graf, they were the ones who came up with the idea of reviving Halep from her suspension back to an official tennis court.
Halep, reacting to the news, expressed her excitement. “I experienced special moments in Cluj, on that wonderful field set up as part of Sports Festival.
I can’t wait to go back and play there with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf,” said Halep in a recent Sports Festival press release. Andrei Pavel matched Simona’s energy. “I can’t wait to see them again, especially Andre with whom we have a history… we played together seven times, beat him once.
They are amazing people. See you there,” said Pavel as quoted by Sports Festival. Pavel has a history with Halep as well. While Andrei was training her, Halep got for the 1st time on the first place in the WTA ranking. Also, she won her…
