Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 33 following a first-round defeat at a tournament in her native Romania, marking the end of her injury-plagued comeback after a doping ban.
Halep addressed the audience in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, using a microphone after her 6-1, 6-1 loss to Lucia Bronzetti in the Transylvania Open.
“I wanted to come here today in Cluj to play in front of you and say goodbye on the court to tennis,” she expressed in Romanian.
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“Though my performance wasn’t great, it represented my spirit, and I’m truly grateful for your presence. I wonder if I will return, but for now, this is the last time I’m playing here.”
“I don’t want to shed tears. This is something beautiful. I reached world No.1 and won Grand Slams, which was all I ever wanted. Life carries on.”
Simona Halep announces her retirement. Getty
“Life continues after tennis, and I hope we meet again. Naturally, I will continue to play tennis, but being competitive requires much more, and at this stage, that’s no longer feasible.”
This was Halep’s first match of the year, having previously achieved the No.1 spot in the WTA rankings for the first time in 2017. She now finds herself ranked 870th and was granted a wild card to compete in Romania.
She recently withdrew from the qualifying rounds for the Australian Open and a preparatory tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, due to knee and shoulder pain, adding another interruption to her career.
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Halep was once a dominant force in women’s tennis, clinching Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2019—defeating Serena Williams in the final—and the French Open in 2018, where she triumphed over Sloane Stephens.
She also finished as a runner-up three times in Grand Slam tournaments, notably at the Australian Open in 2018 and the French Open in 2014 and 2017.
Her last appearance in a major event was at the 2022 US Open, where she faced Daria Snigur of Ukraine in the first round and lost 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 before testing positive for the banned substance Roxadustat.
Roxadustat, which was approved in the European Union in 2021 for treating anaemia caused by chronic kidney failure, promotes the production of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), a substance often misused by athletes to enhance endurance.
Simona Halep alongside Serena Williams after the Women’s Singles Final at The Wimbledon Championships in July 2019 in London. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images) Getty
Initially, Halep faced a four-year ban that was set to conclude in 2026. However, after appealing, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her suspension to nine months in March 2024.
She contended that her positive test arose from a contaminated supplement.
The CAS concluded that Halep was “somewhat at fault” for not exercising adequate caution when using the supplement, but stated that she bore “no significant fault or negligence,” indicating that her anti-doping rule violations were unintentional.
Halep made her return to professional tennis later that month at the Miami Open, yet has participated in only six matches since.
She leaves the sport with a remarkable collection of 24 singles titles and over AUD 63 million in prize money.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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