Simona Halep announces retirement from tennis after loss in Romania

Simona Halep made a shocking retirement announcement in Cluj-Napoca on Tuesday following a 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Lucia Bronzetti at the Winners Open.

The former world No. 1, who was off the court for 19 months due to a doping suspension, was able to resume her career in March 2024 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed one of the charges and shortened the ban for the other. But since playing her first tournament at that month’s Miami Open, Halep won just one match in six tournaments, ending with 59-minute defeat at her home tournament on Tuesday.

Read more: Halep resumes career at 2024 Miami Open after CAS appeal

Halep, who rose to world No. 1 in 2017 and won a pair of major trophies at Roland Garros (2018) and Wimbledon (2019), last played a tournament in October at the WTA 250 in Hong Kong. She accepted a wild card to play singles and doubles in front of her home crowd in Cluj-Napoca; she teamed with compatriot Ana Bogdan in a straight-set doubles defeat on Monday.

Playing the 26-year-old, No. 72-ranked Bronzetti for the first time, the 33-year-old struggled to find her range and won just 11 points in the opening set. She fell behind an early break in the second and won just one more game as Bronzetti raced ahead to another 5-1 lead.

With three match points in hand, Bronzetti converted her first when Halep netted a forehand return—unexpectedly sending the two-time Grand Slam champion into retirement.

Halep remained on court following Bronzetti's post-match interview to address the crowd.

"I wanted to come here today in Cluj to play in front of you and say goodbye on the court to tennis," she said in Romanian.

"Even though my performance wasn’t very good, it was still my soul and I’m very glad that you came. I wonder if I’ll come back again but for now, it’s the last time I’ve played here.

"I don’t want to cry. It’s a beautiful thing. I became world No. 1, I won Grand Slams. It’s all I wanted. Life goes on. There is life after tennis and I hope we will see each other again. Of course, I will continue to play tennis but to be competitive requires much more and at this moment, it is no longer possible."