Simona Halep shamed the Russian tennis player for taking illegal drugs, and now she got herself. And everyone supported her!
Double standards in international sports can hardly surprise anyone. Athletes from the “correct” countries are sometimes forgiven for serious misconduct, and if the punishment still overtakes them, then the violators are supported from all sides. Others, even for the slightest mistakes, are punished to the fullest extent, and those who smiled sweetly at them yesterday begin to pour mud on them.
Russian Maria Sharapova was persecuted for meldonium by almost the entire tennis world. Now one of those who condemned was overtaken by karma.
How will Simona Halep speak now?
“Didn’t click the letter”
The meldonium scandal has become one of the most unpleasant pages in the modern history of Russian sports, which made it possible to create an appropriate information background on the eve of the Olympic Games in Rio. Many of our eminent athletes who were at the peak of their form were hit by a blow: speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov, short track skater Semyon Elistratov, figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova, boxer Alexander Povetkin. Later, all of them were amnestied, but still missed their chances in a particular season – they did not win the World Cup, they were left without World Championship medals, they lost a real chance to take the championship belt.
Among the victims of the scandal with meldonium was Maria Sharapova, who lost the opportunity to compete for the gold of the Olympic Games. Our star tennis player was one of the first who got hit by meldonium. In March 2016, she suddenly held a press conference at which she publicly stated that she had been caught doping. In her defense, the Russian woman said that she was not going to violate anything and got into trouble due to banal inattention. She did not realize in time that the drug, which she had been taking since 2006, was suddenly banned.
“On December 22, I received a letter from WADA about changes to the list of banned drugs with a detailed list, but I didn’t click on it to study it in its entirety,” Sharapova told reporters.
Maria reacted nonchalantly to the WADA letter for a very prosaic reason – usually her agent Max Eisenbud was in charge of checking updates on the lists of prohibited substances. He did this, as a rule, on vacation, but in December 2015, as luck would have it, he did not take a vacation due to personal problems – a divorce from his wife. As a result, the family drama turned into a personal drama of the famous athlete, who ruined her reputation at the end of her career.
Sharapova was disqualified for two years, later the suspension was reduced to 15 months. The most offensive thing is that if Maria had kept silent then, and hadn’t climbed to cut the truth-womb, then she could have had a chance to avoid serious punishment. At least, this can be judged by the precedent with the American tennis player Varvara Lepchenko, who from January to April 2016 passed a positive test for meldonium four times and got off with only a fine.
“It’s good that she was brought to clean water”
The finish of the career of the star Russian woman was ruined – Maria could not play in Rio, and after the end of the disqualification, she could not even get into the top 20. However, this seemed not enough to other competitors, they began to morally finish off the five-time winner of the Grand Slam tournaments.
– We all think and discuss that she is a liar. It is impossible not to doubt her honesty – it is obvious that she did not deserve all that she managed to win. It’s terrible, but it’s good that she was brought to clean water, ”said French tennis player Kristina Mladenovic on behalf of “everyone”.
“I don’t feel sorry for Sharapova, and I don’t miss her. She is a very unpleasant person. Arrogant, self-satisfied and cold,” ESPN journalist Chris McCedndry noted on social networks the reaction of the Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.
Romanian Sorana Kirstya on her personal social networks shared her life principles with subscribers, and at the same time her opinion on the punishment for Sharapova:
She deserved a disqualification. I believe in clean sport and I believe that we should be responsible for our actions! These are my life principles.
Roger Federer from Switzerland, Andy Murray from Britain, Garbine Muguruza from Spain, Angelique Kerber from Germany, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from France, Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark, Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland, threw stones at Sharapova’s garden. What is funny, the Norwegian skier Teresa Johaug, who was doped around the same time, heard only words of support from many of her colleagues. What is the difference here, in nationality or sports discipline, is a rhetorical question.
Competent people let down
Among those who condemned Sharapova, albeit not so zealously, was the Romanian Simona Halep, who, during the absence of Maria, approached the tennis Olympus, and in October 2017 she reached the status of the first racket of the world.
– It is necessary to show that the players who were disqualified for doping are not helped by invitations to tournaments. And it’s not about Sharapova personally, but about everyone who was caught doping. And she had never talked to Sharapova before – and now there is no reason to do it at all. I personally check the WADA list every year and before taking anything, I consult with competent people to exclude any possibility of doping, Tennis.com quoted Halep as saying.
Romanian coach Patrick Muratoglu, who also worked with Serena Williams, spoke about Maria’s troubles without a drop of regret.
“I have no sympathy for people who don’t respect the rules. Whether she intentionally broke the rules or not, she made a mistake. This is life, and you have to pay for mistakes, ”the Daily Mail quoted the mentor as saying.
Not so many years passed, Halep herself was caught doping. Apparently, competent people summed up the Romanian. For some reason, her coach does not read lectures about mistakes that need to be paid for. He was silent for a week, and now he desperately supports his ward, sympathetically saying that he believes her. Still not to believe: after all, Simone said publicly that she had never taken doping.
No less amusing is the reaction of the tennis world to this episode – only words of support are heard from colleagues against the violator. Athletes really shouldn’t spread rot on each other – it’s not known who karma will overtake next. But it is unlikely that the point here is that those who condemned Sharapova yesterday realized today that any of them could fall under the distribution. Rather, it all boils down to double standards.
I am a sports journalist who has written for a number of Sportish. I have a background in journalism and have been writing since I was young. My main focus is sports news, but I also write about general news. I am currently working as an author at Sportish.
Check out some of the best tennis shots our photographers have taken over the past year
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, THE PRESS
American Coco Gauff returns a serve from Russian Veronika Kudermetova during their third round match on center court at the IGA stadium.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Victoria Mboko at work against Elena Rybakina in the semi-final at the National Bank Open
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Eugenie Bouchard on the backhand during her second round match at the National Bank Open
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Marta Kostyuk screams during her match against Daria Kasatkina at the National Bank Open.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Mirra Andreeva in action against McCartney Kessler at the National Bank Open
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Naomi Osaka watches the ball in the first round of the National Bank Open against Ariana Arseneault.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Bianca Andreescu suffered an ankle injury against Barbora Krejčíková at the National Bank Open.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Liudmila Samsonova displays her muscles during her duel against Naomi Osaka at the National Bank Open.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
A doubles match pitting Italians Jasmine Paolini (right) and Sara Errani against Canadians Bianca Jolie Fernandez (left) and Leylah Annie Fernandez at the National Bank Open
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Daria Kasatkina keeps her eyes on the ball against Marta Kostyuk in the third round at the National Bank Open.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Victoria Mboko celebrates on court her victory against Naomi Osaka in the final of the National Bank Open.
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
40-year-old Swiss tennis player Stan Wawrinka He announced that he will retire in 2026.
“Every book must have an ending. It is time to write the last chapter of my career as a professional tennis player. In 2026, I will spend my last season on tour.”
I still want to challenge myself and complete this journey in the best possible way. I still have dreams about this sport. I enjoyed everything tennis gave me, especially the emotions I felt playing for you.
I look forward to meeting you again anywhere in the world. Last move,” Wawrinka wrote on social networks.
Stan has three Grand Slam trophies – Australian Open 2014, Roland Garros 2015 and US Open 2016. He also played in the Russian Federation final in 2017, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.
Wawrinka is currently ranked 157th in the ATP rankings. His personal best is third place.
During his career, Stan won 16 singles trophies and three doubles trophies at ATP level. At the 2008 Olympics, Wawrinka won the gold medal in the doubles tournament with Roger Federer. Stan won the Davis Cup with the Swiss team in 2014.
Wawrinka will start his farewell season with the national team in the United Cup (January 2-11).
🎾ONE LAST PRESS🎾
Every book needs an ending📕
It’s time to write the last chapter of my career as a professional tennis player 📝
2026 will be my last year on tour
determination
an ambition
Victim
Success
my injuries
O obsession
Never give up
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
(Montreal) The second half of 2025 could prove to be a pivotal moment in the history of tennis in the country. At the same time, it is the sequence of promising Canadian performances on the courts – hard surface, clay, grass, whatever – over the last 15 years.
The saying “little train goes a long way” applies quite well to Tennis Canada. And with six representatives in the top 50 at the end of 2025 – including Gabriela Dabrowski, 10e in doubles – which do not seem about to plateau, this little train could pick up speed in 2026.
The representatives of the Unifolié completed 2025 with 15 titles on the two major professional circuits, nine among the ladies, six among the men. Out of the lot, a triumph stands out.
“This year, it’s certain that the strongest moment, for me, was here, with Vicky Mboko’s victory,” says Valérie Tétreault, director of the National Bank Open, in an interview with La Presse Canadienne in her office on 2e floor at the IGA Stadium.
However, there were many more highlights on the Canadian tennis scene in 2025.
Félix Auger-Aliassime did more than his share with three titles, two additional finals, a semi-final appearance at the US Open and progression to fifth in the ATP rankings, a personal high.
PHOTO ANTONIO CALANNI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Had it not been for Mboko’s exploit in Montreal and his meteoric rise to the 333e place, in January, until the 18the level of the world rankings, Auger-Aliassime’s performances would undoubtedly have been the highlight of the year at Tennis Canada.
To this, Mboko added a title to his record, in Hong Kong, in November. Leylah Annie Fernandez (22)e) won two tournaments, including one in the 500 category. Denis Shapovalov (23e) imitated her.
Exactly a year ago, Gabriel Diallo occupied 87e step; it will start 2026 on the 41e rank, helped by a first career title, in June, on grass.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Gabriel Diallo
Tétreault savors this list because, among other things, of the range of names it brings together.
“In other years, we had a player who performed well, and often, it was perhaps a little more difficult for the others. There, we really had the impression that at a given moment, they were all taking turns,” notes Tétreault.
“We had Denis who won [à Los Cabos, le 19 juillet]. Afterwards, it’s Leylah who wins in Washington [le 27 juillet]. We have Vicky winning here [le 7 août] and Felix, [qui excelle] straight after at the US Open. They were different players who were performing at the highest level,” she emphasizes.
To this list, we can add Dabrowski’s doubles titles in Cincinnati, a tournament of the caliber of Montreal, then at the United States Open three weeks later.
“To see this for Canadian tennis, I think that’s what makes me the most proud. I think we don’t realize how new it was not so long ago when Milos Raonic was starting to win ATP 250 titles,” she notes.
When Raonic defeated Fernando Verdasco on February 13, 2011 in the final of the San Jose tournament for the first of his eight career titles, it was the first time a Canadian had triumphed at an ATP singles tournament since Greg Rusedski in April 1995.
In 2014, Eugenie Bouchard’s title in Germany was only the second by a Canadian at a singles tournament in 26 years.
The time of such shortages seems to be over.
Since 2019, in singles alone, Canadian athletes have amassed around twenty titles. Auger-Aliassime has eight, in addition to 12 other appearances in tournament finals.
Despite all her pride, Tétreault is not necessarily surprised. She sees the emergence of players who had already shown great skills at the junior level. She also sees a dynamic there which is similar to a form of emulation.
“Apart from, perhaps, Gabriel Diallo, who we saw less coming, the others, already at a young age, had pretty much all been identified as hopes, not only of Canadian tennis, but hopes of international tennis. I think it was just a matter of time before they could hatch,” emphasizes Tétreault.
“But then, I think that there is still something in there like a kind of training phenomenon, in the sense that seeing a Canadian player experience success, it motivates the others. Then, we suddenly have the impression of being part of a movement,” she says.
Mboko’s unexpected triumph, moreover, was the exclamation point to another successful edition in Montreal, in a context where, for the first time, the main draw extended over 12 days and brought together 96 players in singles.
And what’s more, Mother Nature greatly collaborated.
At the end of the tournament, the organizers welcomed 287,329 spectators, a record, of course, for the women’s event in Montreal.
“As much as there were a lot of unknowns going into this year’s tournament, more than usual, I think we can say mission accomplished because we saw a format that worked well,” said Tétreault.
“My biggest concern was more about the reception of the players, knowing that they were roughly double what we were used to welcoming,” adds Tétreault.
“We wanted to make sure we had the necessary space. The way we reconfigured it, and with the results of the player survey and the feedback we received from the WTA, I think it demonstrated that we had done what we needed to do to be ready for this. »
In addition to revealing Mboko, the National Bank Open offered Eugenie Bouchard the chance to play on the court of her childhood by offering her a pass to the main draw.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard thanked the organization by delivering two solid performances, even causing a lot of trouble for the Swiss Belinda Bencic, a quality player, in what was the Montrealer’s swan song in professional tennis.
I am a sports journalist who has worked in print and online. I have authored articles for a sports website and have covered sports news for over 6 years.
