Former world number one and two-time grand slam champion Simona Halep announced that she is retiring from tennis after suffering a 6-1, 6-1 defeat against Lucia Bronzetti on Tuesday at the Transylvania Open.
Speaking to the media after the match the 33-year-old said she can no longer compete due to a serious knee injury she has been battling with for the past few months and it’s time for here to hang up her racket and explore other options.
Back in 2023, the Romanian star faced a challenging setback when she was handed a four-year ban by ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) but successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing her positive test for Roxadustat used to treat Anaemia which is banned as a blood agent was the result of a tainted supplement. She denied knowingly doping and her ban was reduced from four years to nine months.
Halep returned to tennis in March 2024 at the WTA Tour but played six matches through to 2025 and won only one playing against Arina Rodionova. Now ranked 870, her career achievements include 24 WTA titles, notably winning the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019.
She played in three other Grand Slam finals, the French Open in 2014, 2017 and the Australian Open in 2018. Halep ascended to the world number one ranking in May 2017 and maintained that position for a total of 64 weeks.
As tributes pour in, French Tennis coach and Sports commentator Patrick Mouratoglou said that the tennis star will be remembered for “Her work ethic and passion for tennis were unmatched. A true legend who will be remembered for her fighting spirit”.
