Simona Halep admitted that she was scared of her condition and simply knew that she needed to undergo breast reduction surgery if she wanted to be able to compete at the highest level.
In 2008, Halep finished as a runner-up in the Australian Open juniors event before making it all the way at the French Open a few months later. At the time, the Romanian was widely regarded as one of the most promising and talented players in the game. But at just 17 years old, she was dealing with back pain and discomfort.
After consulting with the specialists, the conclusion was that reducing her breasts would probably relieve some of the stress and tension off the Romanian's back. And in 2009, the 2008 French Open girls' singles champion had surgery and went from a 34DD to a 34C.
ADVERTISEMENT
While it took Halep some time to break out on the WTA Tour, it came in 2013 when she won a total of six titles that year. From that point, it only got better for the Romanian, who became a Grand Slam champion at the 2018 French Open and also won Wimbledon the following year, as well as reached the world No. 1 ranking.
Halep: I was too young for such a decision, but I had to do it
I arrived at Roland Garros in great shape and I won it. It was a dream. And then, during training, suddenly I locked up. I couldnt move. I was very scared and I started to cry," the former two-time Grand Slam champion recounted in a video published by one of her sponsors.
I already had a serious spine problem. I was 17 and it was too early to make such a decision, but it was a yes-or-no issue. I knew I could not play tennis at the highest level without it. I had faith; I knew the sacrifice was worth it. You build your own future. The first step is faith, that you can reach where you want."
ADVERTISEMENT
Halep won 24 WTA titles before putting an end to her career in February.
