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Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep says it is “really tough to lose days, weeks and months” as she waits for her doping case to be resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n The 31-year-old Romanian, who won Wimbledon in 2019, has been suspended provisionally for the past six months.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Halep tested positive for roxadustat at the US Open in August but denies knowingly taking the banned substance.<\/span><\/p>\n The International Tennis Integrity Agency, responsible for testing in the sport, said “the process is ongoing”.<\/span><\/p>\n It added that former world number one Halep’s case was “being run in line with the World Anti-Doping Code”.<\/span><\/p>\n Two-time Grand Slam champion Halep, who also won the French Open in 2018, said “cheating had never crossed” her mind and claims the failed test was down to a “contaminated” supplement. <\/span><\/p>\n Roxadustat is an anti-anaemia drug which stimulates the production of red blood cells in the body.<\/span><\/p>\n In her first interview since she was provisionally banned in October, Halep said she was frustrated with the time it was taking for the case to be resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m not asking for special treatment. I just ask to be judged. How much longer is this going to take?” she told the Tennis Majors website.<\/span><\/p>\n She added: “At this age, it’s really tough to lose days, weeks, and months. You are scared about the injuries. When you don’t have official matches, it is more risky. <\/span><\/p>\n “When time passes like this, it is harder to come back.”<\/span><\/p>\n Halep, who was ranked ninth when the ban came into force, is one of the highest-profile tennis players to fail a drugs test and the most prominent since <\/span>Russian five-time major champion Maria Sharapova was banned in 2016.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Tennis’ world governing body, the International Tennis Federation, said it had had “no involvement in the management of the case”.<\/span><\/p>\n “The anti-doping programme is managed and enforced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on behalf of the ATP, WTA, ITF and Grand Slams,” <\/span>a statement read.<\/span>