Simona Halep reveals she actually made a retirement decision mid-match against Lucia Bronzetti after coming to terms that her knee was bad to the point where it was basically impossible for her to play.
After battling for a year and a half to clear her name, Halep made a post-doping ban return in March 2024. Shortly after returning, the former two-time Grand Slam champion picked up a knee injury - and after taking a five-month break to address the issue - the Romanian returned in October. The Romanian ended up playing three matches across two tournaments before the same injury forced her to miss the start of 2025.
However, Halep signed up to play Cluj-Napoca. And while she managed to kick off her 2025 season in front of her home fans, it was all but a memorable campaign since she was ousted by Lucia Bronzetti 1-6 1-6 in just 59 minutes.
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Moments after the defeat, the 34-year-old Romanian tennis icon took a microphone and announced she was retiring from pro tennis.
Halep: My retirement was not decided when I entered the court in Cluj-Napoca
I thought about it for a while, but it was not decided when I entered the court that in that match I would retire. But I felt like my place is not there anymore. I felt physically, I was injured with my knee and I was in pain. So after I lost the first set, I made up my mind and I said, I'm going to stop after this,'" the former world No. 1 told The National.
When Halep played her last match, she still hadn't turned 34 years old. When asked if she thought about possibly returning to tennis, the former two-time Grand Slam champion quickly shut down that option.
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No, never. So probably that means that, inside myself, it was the right decision. And now I feel it. I think it was the best thing," Halep noted.
