Former tennis world number 1 Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended from the sport after testing positive for a banned substance.

The decision was officially announced by the International Tennis Integrity Commission (ITIC) on Friday (October 21) where it shared that the Romanian had tested positive for roxadustat, at August’s US Open.

Roxadustat is an anti-anaemia drug which stimulates the production of red blood cells in the body.

The verdict was shared by Senior Editor of racquet magazine Ben Rothenberg via his twitter.

Halep, who is currently ranked ninth in the world, said the positive result came as the “biggest shock of her life”.

Taking to her social media to vent her disappointment:  “Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth,” the 31-year-old wrote on Twitter.

“Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with” Halep added.

“Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused and betrayed.”

She is the highest-profile tennis player to fail a drugs test since Maria Sharapova in 2016.

“It’s not about titles or the money,” said Halep. “It’s about honour, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years” she added.

In September, Halep announced she had undergone nose surgery to improve her breathing and was ending her 2022 season early.

The (ITIA) said that Halep also had her B sample tested, which confirmed the finding of Roxadustat, which is a medication used in the treatment of patients with kidney problems.

“While provisionally suspended, the player is ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned tennis events organised by the governing bodies of the sport” it said in a statement.