Halep has been suspended for the past six months after she tested positive for roxadustat at the US Open last August. As per the latest update from the International Tennis Integrity Agency, “the process is ongoing.”
After she tested positive, Halep denied any use of the banned substance and claimed that it was due to a contaminated supplement.
The drug in question, Roxadustat, is an anti-anemia drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells.
In an interview, Halep decried that she was frustrated with the time it was taking to complete the process.
“I’m not asking for special treatment. I just ask to be judged. How much longer is this going to take?” she said.
She added: “At this age, it’s really tough to lose days, weeks, and months. You are scared about the injuries. When you don’t have official matches, it is more risky.”
“When time passes like this, it is harder to come back.”
Halep is one of the highest-ranking tennis players to fail a drug test. Prior to that, the most prominent one was Maria Sharapova.