The former coach of Serena Williams has issued a livid response after Simona Halep was slapped with a four-year doping ban by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). The two-time Grand Slam champion failed a drug check on the 2022 US Open and has since been topic to a prolonged investigation that has been hampered by quite a few delays.

But following an impartial tribunal, the ITIA confirmed on Tuesday that Halep, who had already been provisionally suspended and was unable to compete on this month's US Open, has been banned for 2 separate anti-doping rule violations.

The 31-year-old has additionally been faraway from the present WTA world rankings.

Patrick Mouratoglou, who coaches the 2019 Wimbledon champion, took to social media to ship an emphatic defence of his shopper.

Posting on X (previously Twitter), he wrote: "I cannot believe the decision that the ITIA has taken today in the case of Simona. I am extremely shocked and I have been during this whole year by the methods and the behaviour of an organisation that is supposed to treat the players fairly and try to establish the truth."

Mouratoglou, who coached all-time nice Williams from 2012 till her retirement, continued by laying out 4 factors he needed to make.

He mentioned: "1. I know Simona's integrity and I have no doubt that she has never taken any banned substance.

"2. I sat by way of the complete two days of listening to together with her and I CANNOT imagine that the tribunal has reached that call based mostly on the proof and arguments that I heard.

"3. The process and the ITIA have been totally unfair to Simona and it is totally unacceptable.

"4. I hope that Simona will prevail at CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) which is the one tribunal that isn't managed by the ITIA."

He added: "I hope that the WTA, ATP and PTPA will do their greatest to vary a system that's destroying careers of harmless gamers."

The French coach's fierce defence of Halep did not appear to be shared by Williams however, who lost the 2019 Wimbledon final to the Romanian 6-2, 6-2 in what was a shock result. It denied Williams what would have been a record eighth grasscourt slam title at the All England Club.

After hearing about the doping ban, the 23-time major title win made what looked like a subtle dig at Halep on social media. She wrote on X: "8 is a greater quantity."

Halep tested positive for banned blood-booster roxadustat in New York after the 2022 US Open. The drug increases the production of red blood cells and helps boost levels of endurance. The former world No. 1 is set to appeal the ruling.