Simona Halep, ex-numéro 1 world, announces her retirement after a last match lost in Romania

There was a lot of emotions on the central court of Cluj-Nacopa, this Tuesday evening, and it was not linked to the scenario of the one-way match which had just ended there, with the victory of the Italian Lucia Bronzetti (72nd world) against the Romanian Simona Halep (870th) on a final score (6-1, 6-1 in 59 minutes).
Stupor and tears came soon after, when the world’s ex-numéro 1, after distributing the hugs to his family, his staff and his friends, including his compatriot Sorana Cirstea, seized the stadium microphone to announce his retirement With immediate effect: “I do not know if it is with joy or sadness that I speak to you but I made this decision in my soul and conscience, I have always been realistic towards myself. That’s why I wanted to come here today (mardi)in Cluj, to play in front of you and say goodbye on the court. »»
Only one victory since his return to competition
At 33, Halep will never have been able to return from the doping suspension that cut her off in her momentum in the summer of 2022. She had just won the Masters 1000 in Toronto and was classified in 7th place Global when the sanction fell following its positive control in the Roxadustat: four years without tennis, which were then going to be brought back to nine months, the Arbitral Tribunal of Sport finally accepting the thesis of contamination.
Halep had resumed the competition in March 2023, in Miami, but will have only won only one match on the six played until Tuesday, in this sad last straight. Crowned in Roland-Garros in 2018 then in Wimbledon in 2019, Simona Halep displays a list of 24 titles (also 9 WTA 1000) and she occupied the world’s first place for a total of 64 weeks, which classified it in the 12th Place of players the longest installed on the WTA throne, in front, among others, Amélie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova or even Williams.
“The first part of my life was devoted to this sport. Now I want to explore other things ”
A full player with a nice sense of the game and a remarkable field cover, Simona Halep had had a knee for a long time. Upstream of the tournament, she had declared to the Romanian media Goal that he was “Difficult to play at the highest level when (she felt) pain. The thought of retirement often crosses my mind. I arrived at an age when I have injuries from which it is difficult to recover. I was advised the operation but it is a complicated procedure. »»
No doubt already turned to his next life, Halep had added: “Tennis is not all my life. I have a lot of desires and goals outside the sport. Everything I accomplished was extraordinary, I would never have even dreamed of the world’s first place or great home titles. I worked hard for that and I believe I have exploited all my potential as a tennis player. The first part of my life was devoted to this sport, now I want to explore other things. »» His second life has just started.