Halep, ranked ninth in the world, was tested during the US Open and both her A and B samples confirmed the presence of roxadustat, an anti-anaemia drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells, much like the prohibited substance Erythropoietin (EPO).

“Simona Halep, a 31-year-old Romanian tennis player, has been provisionally suspended under Article 7.12.1 of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP),” the body said.

“The sample was split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis found that the A sample contained FG-4592 (Roxadustat), which is a prohibited substance listed in the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) Prohibited List.”

The 2019 Wimbledon champion later requested for her B sample to be analysed, which confirmed the initial findings.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

The former world No 1 described the ban as the “biggest shock of her life” and denied knowingly taking any banned substance.

“Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth. I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called roxadustat in an extremely low quantity,” she wrote on Twitter.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Tennis star Sharapova faces suspension after failing drug test”

“Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed.”

Halep, who also won at Roland Garros in 2018, added that her fight was not about “titles or money” but her honour, and she hoped the truth would eventually come out.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Henman believes doping not significant in tennis”

Maria Sharapova was the last high-profile tennis player to be involved in a doping scandal after the Russian tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and was initially banned for two years before it was reduced to 15 months.

Halep’s suspension means she cannot compete in or attend any sanctioned events organised by the governing bodies of tennis.

The winner of two titles this season, she ended her season early after nose surgery last month to treat breathing difficulties. Reuters/DM