Former world number one Simona Halep said Friday she will “fight until the end” to prove she did not knowingly take a prohibited substance after she was provisionally suspended for doping.

A sample that Halep provided during the US Open in August showed traces of Roxadustat, a drug that stimulates the production of red blood cells and is used in the treatment of patients with kidney problems, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said.

Halep, the current world number nine, said the positive test was “the biggest shock of my life”.

“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,” the Romanian tweeted.

“I will fight until the end to prove that I never knowingly took any prohibited substance and I have faith that sooner or later, the truth will come out.” (AFP via Channels)

•PHOTO:(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 26, 2022 Romania’s Simona Halep returns to China’s Qinwen Zheng during their women’s singles match on day five of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Simonne-Mathieu in Paris. – Former world number one Simona Halep has been provisionally suspended for doping after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on October 21, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)