Halep Announces Sudden Retirement After First-Round Loss In Romania

Simona Halep
Simona Halep (photo: Michael Dickens)

CLUJ-NAPOCA/WASHINGTON, February 4, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Former World No. 1 Simona Halep announced her sudden retirement from professional tennis following her first-round round loss to Italy’s Lucia Brozetti at the WTA 250-series Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania Tuesday evening.

The 72nd-ranked Bronzetti, who was making her 2025 season debut, defeated Halep, a two-time major champion, 6-1, 6-1, in 59 minutes. She converted 5-of-5 break-point chances and saved the only break point she faced from Halep, which came during the opening game of the second set. Halep, who won just 38 percent of points on her first serve, was outpointed 54-26. Halep was seeking her first main-draw WTA Tour-level win since August 2022.

“I respect a lot Simona; she is a great champion,” Bronzetti said afterward in her on-court interview. “I enjoyed the atmosphere even if it was all for her. I think that I played every point very solid. I tried to play point by point. … I tried to stay there and focus every point.”

Halep, who was absent from the WTA Tour for 19 months due to a doping suspension, resumed 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. She returned to competition at last year’s Miami Open with a wild card. However, she won just one match in five tournaments she entered – against Ariana Rodionova of Australia at a WTA 125 event in Hong Kong last fall – and ended her career losing five of her last six matches.

Earlier this year, Halep pulled out of qualifying for the Australian Open and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand because of pain in her knee and shoulder.

Due to her inactivity during the suspension and recent performances since returning to the WTA Tour, Halep’s ranking had dropped to No. 870.

The 33-year-old Romanian, who won two Grand Slam titles – at Roland Garros in 2018 and at Wimbledon in 2019 – and 24 WTA Tour titles overall. She had accepted a wild card to play singles and doubles in Cluj-Napoca. On Monday, she and fellow countrywoman Ana Bogdan lost in doubles, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to No. 4 seeds Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Tang Qianhui of China.

Following her loss to Bronzetti, Halep’s career win-loss record stood at 580-243. After turning pro in 2006, she won more than $40.2 million (U.S. dollars) on the WTA Tour.

After the match ended, Halep remained on court at Sala Polivalenta Cluj-Napoca 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,” Halep said, speaking 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.”

Soon after, social media lit up with many tributes to Halep, among them from Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and Billie Jean King:

 

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