"It's been 18 months of torture": Simona Halep appeal win 'highlight of the year' for ex-coach Darren Cahill despite Sinner brilliance

Simona Halep will return next week at the Miami Open after close to two years away from tennis after testing positive for the substance Roxudustat at the 2022 US Open. Her former coach, Darren Cahill in particular has been left overjoyed by the news that she will return and got her ban cut from four years.

Cahill who since leaving Halep has had superb success alongside Simone Vagnozzi coaching Jannik Sinner, the current Australian Open champion who is currently on a 19-0 winning streak heading back to the Davis Cup last season said it is bigger to him to see Halep succeed in this than it has been to see his latest charge succeed.

He has remained valiantly behind her throughout the doping saga and always protested her innocence and he is looking forward to seeing her when he gets to Miami next week. His current charge Sinner is putting off that reunion and will face Carlos Alcaraz tonight in the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Open in a highly anticipated semi-final.

"For me it was the highlight of the year and I've had a really good year so far with everything that Jannik has done," said Cahill to Sky Sports Tennis.

"To me it's been 18 months of torture. I've always believed in her. I've always believed she would never deliberately or knowingly take anything that was wrong or banned.

"That came through when they went to CAS [The Court of Arbitration for Sport] and the truth came out so I know she's been through a tough moment and a tough period of 18 months and I'm super proud of the way she's handled herself and the way that she's carried herself throughout this entire time.

"I could not be happier to see her playing in Miami. I can't wait to see her next week."