Simona Halep announces retirement after sudden mid-match decision

Web Desk :

The former world No. 1, Simona Halep, has announced her retirement from professional tennis following a sudden decision during her first-round match at the Transylvania Open in Cluj, Romania.

Halep was defeated 6–1, 6–1 by Lucia Bronzetti and announced her retirement to the crowd immediately after the match.In the post-match interview, Halep revealed that she had not intended for the match to be her final appearance, but persistent knee injuries forced the decision mid-match.

“I thought about it for a while, but it was not decided when I entered the court that in that match I would retire,” Halep said.

“After I lost the first set, I made up my mind and I said, ‘I’m going to stop after this.’ Then I told my parents, and they said, ‘Okay, announce it.’ So nobody knew beforehand.”

The match lasted 59 minutes, after which Halep took the microphone to announce her retirement, despite the sudden decision.

“Probably that means that, inside myself, it was the right decision. I think it was the best thing,” she added.

The 34-year-old returned to tennis in March 2024 after successfully appealing a four-year doping ban, which was later reduced to nine months.

However, ongoing knee issues limited her ability to compete and contributed to her decision to retire in Romania.

During her career, Halep won 24 WTA titles, including the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, and spent 64 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world.

Despite the unexpected end to her career, the Romanian champion leaves the sport with no regrets, reflecting on a remarkable career at the highest level.