Simona Halep Bids Farewell to Tennis with Poignant Exit

Simona Halep, a former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner, announced her retirement from professional tennis after losing in the first round at Cluj. Her career was affected by a doping ban, but she leaves with a sense of peace and pride from her achievements.

Simona Halep, the former world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion, has announced her retirement from professional tennis. The announcement came after a first-round loss at her home tournament in Cluj, where she was defeated 6-1, 6-1 by Italy's Lucia Bronzetti.

Halep's career, which saw delays due to a doping ban later reduced on appeal, faced challenges with knee and shoulder pain. At 33, the Romanian tennis star stated she feels both sadness and joy in her decision but emphasized inner peace as she bids farewell to the sport.

Despite a provisional suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, Halep maintains her integrity, citing contaminated supplements as the cause. She leaves the sport with honors, having achieved world number one status and winning at the French Open and Wimbledon.

(With inputs from agencies.)