Darren Cahill: 'Extraordinary person' Simona Halep was sometimes her own worst enemy



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Darren Cahill: 'Extraordinary person' Simona Halep was sometimes her own worst enemy
Darren Cahill: 'Extraordinary person' Simona Halep was sometimes her own worst enemy (Provided by Tennis World USA)

Coach Darren Cahill described Simona Halep as "an extraordinary person" but also said that the Romanian "sometimes was her own worst enemy." After six years together, Halep and coach Cahill split in 2021 September. During their time together, Halep won two Grand Slams and reached the world No 1 spot.

Cahill, who now works with Jannik Sinner, may not be working with Halep anymore but he still thinks extremely highly of the Romanian. "With Simona Halep I lived the best moments of my career and I had my greatest joy. She is an extraordinary person; sometimes, she was her own worst enemy.

At that time, she had a lot of pressure on her back as her country, Romania, expected to see her as no. 1," Cahill said, per Relevant Tennis.

Cahill came to Halep's support

In October, the ITIA shocked everyone when they announced that Halep failed a doping test and tested positive for anti-anaemia drug Roxadustat.

Just minutes after the ITIA announcement, Halep also released her own statement, calling it "the biggest shock of her life." “I have been notified that I have tested positive for a substance called Roxadustat in an extremely low quantity, which came as the biggest shock of my life.

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 said in her statement last October.

While everyone was discussing Halep's doping ban, coach Cahill decide to share his thoughts. In a lengthy Instagram post, Cahill explained that Halep was always someone who abided by the rules and never tried to cheat in any way.

In his message, Cahill underlined that Halep was the last player on the Tour who would intentionally take a banned substance. Six months have passed since the ITIA announcement and Halep remains suspended.

Darren Cahill Simona Halep