SIMON Halep quits professional tennis.
SIMONA Halep, the two-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1, has officially called it a career.
The Romanian tennis star made her retirement announcement after a humbling first-round exit at the Transylvania Open in Cluj, Romania, on Tuesday. Halep was defeated by Lucia Bronzetti, 6-1, 6-1, marking the end of her illustrious journey on the court.
“It’s very hard to reach that level, and I know what it takes to get there,” Halep shared with her supporters after the loss, according to the Associated Press.
“That’s why I wanted to be here today, in Cluj, to play in front of you and say goodbye on the tennis court, even if my performance wasn’t great.”
The 33-year-old had battled injuries ever since her return to the tour last year, following her controversial doping ban. In September 2023, Halep was handed a four-year suspension after testing positive for the banned substance Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.
Despite the controversy, Halep consistently insisted that the violations were not intentional. In March of the previous year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) agreed with her stance, reducing the ban to nine months, allowing the former world No. 1 to return to competitive play.
Alongside the doping charges, Halep was also accused of irregularities with her Athlete Biological Passport (ABP)—a system used to track an athlete’s biological markers over time. However, CAS ultimately dismissed that charge, giving her the green light to return to tennis.