Courier on Halep: "It was hard to see everything she had to go through".
Jim Courier always has a keen eye on today's tennis.
The former American player, who has been interviewing players after matches on court at the Australian Open for several years, gave an interview to Romanian media outlet Golazo.
It was an opportunity for him to talk about Simona Halep, who is still trying to regain her best form following her suspension for doping.
"Simona had received a wild card from the Australian Open organization. It would have been great for her to be here in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the year.
I support Simona, I've always loved her game. It was hard to see everything she had to go through. She's been through a lot.
If I think about the length of her suspension, I'd say it's going to be very difficult for her to get back to her best form.
I hope she gets results that really inspire her, give her confidence and hope, and then maybe she can come back in the medium term.
But I also think that the game has evolved. It's become faster, and the players are a little stronger. And Simona, who couldn't play, wasn't able to develop her game.
Of course, injuries didn't help her find her rhythm at all. It's probably the most unpleasant thing that could have happened to her.
Because if you play consistently, whether you win or lose, you regain your appetite for tennis, you regain the pleasure of competition and, above all, rhythm.
Unfortunately, Simona has not yet been able to make a sustained return to competition," says Courier.
Simona Halep, 33, should be back in action at the Cluj tournament on home soil in early February.
