Halep withdraws from Oeiras due to knee pain: “My body is telling me I need more time to adjust”

Former world No 1 Simona Halep will have to wait to continue her comeback after she pulled out of next week’s Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal.

The 32-year-old, whose four-year doping ban was reduced to nine months after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled she had ingested contaminated supplements, was planning to play in Portugal as the second event of her comeback, having begun in Miami last month.

Social media posts suggested she had suffered knee pain in practice and Halep confirmed her withdrawal on her Instagram feed.

“Change of plans!” Halep wrote on her Instagram. “My body is telling me it needs more time to adjust to being back in full training. I don’t want to rush as I make my comeback so I won’t be playing in Oeiras next week.”

Halep’s next scheduled event is due to be in Madrid next month, where she has also been awarded a wildcard.

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