In a poignant turn of events, two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 33. This decision follows a challenging first-round defeat at a tournament held in her homeland of Romania on Tuesday, marking the end of her injury-plagued journey back from a doping suspension.
Speaking to the audience in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Halep addressed the crowd with emotion following her lopsided loss of 6-1, 6-1 to Lucia Bronzetti during the Transylvania Open.
This was Halep’s first match of the year, a stark contrast to her previous peak when she soared to the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings in 2017. Currently, she finds herself ranked 870th and received a wild-card entry for the tournament in Romania.
The former champion recently withdrew from the qualifying rounds at the Australian Open and a preparatory event in Auckland, New Zealand, due to persistent pain in her knee and shoulder—a troubling sign in an already interrupted career.
Halep’s legacy in women’s tennis is bright, having clinched major titles at Wimbledon in 2019, where she triumphed over the legendary Serena Williams, and the French Open in 2018 against Sloane Stephens.
Her journey also included three Grand Slam finals where she finished as a runner-up—specifically at the Australian Open in 2018, and the French Open in both 2014 and 2017.
Unfortunately, her last major appearance was at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she faced an early exit against Daria Snigur from Ukraine and subsequently tested positive for the banned substance Roxadustat.
Roxadustat, which received EU approval in 2021 for treating anemia due to chronic kidney failure, stimulates the body’s production of erythropoietin (EPO)—a substance historically misused by athletes to enhance endurance.
Initially, Halep faced a four-year ban which was later reduced to nine months after her appeal in March 2024. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that while she had some degree of negligence in using the supplement, her violations were determined not to be intentional.
Returning to competitive play at the Miami Open later that month, Halep’s participation was limited to just six matches since her comeback.
As she closes this chapter, Halep leaves behind a remarkable legacy with 24 singles titles and over $40 million in career earnings.