Serena Williams' former hitting partner Sascha Bajin said he agrees with Kim Clijsters regarding concerns that Simona Halep's team may not face consequences amid the doping case.
The Romanian tennis player has maintained her innocence since the controversy began. Halep received a four-year suspension after the 2022 US Open, where she tested positive for the supplement Roxadust, which enhances hemoglobin production in the body.
Following the revelation of the anti-doping rule violation, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) imposed a suspension on Halep from all competitions until 2026. However, after several trial delays, the former world No. 1 was able to defend herself. Her team, led by Patrick Mouratoglou, acknowledged providing her with the supplement but claimed they were unaware that it was contaminated with the substance that affected Halep.
In the latest episode of "Served with Andy Roddick," 4-times Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters expressed her concern that there are no sanctions against Halep's team: "To me, the biggest red flag is the team. I have a really hard time that there is no consequence for the team, that it's just the athlete," Clijsters said.
Serena Williams' former hitting partner, Sascha Bajin, commented on X (formerly Twitter) that he agrees with the former Belgian tennis player and believes it is unfair that only the athletes can receive sanctions in doping cases, as responsibility could extend to the team:
"I think Kim [Clijsters] is onto something here. I share her thoughts about coaches that give players supplements. Don't think it's fair that only the players get the consequences. What you guys think?" Bajin wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
I think Kim is onto something here. I share her thoughts about coaches that give players supplements. Don’t think it’s fair that only the players gets the consequences. What you guys think?
"To me the biggest red flag is the team," Kim Clijsters said of the Halep situation, which Andy Roddick described as a "vortex.". "I have a really hard time that there is no consequence for the team, that it's just the athlete." tennis.com/news/articles/…
