Simona Halep has introduced her retirement after struggling a powerful defeat in her first match of 2025.
The previous world No 1 belatedly bought her season beneath means in her dwelling occasion, the Transylvania Open, in Romania on Tuesday, after being handed a wild card.
However the two-time Grand Slam champion gained simply two video games as Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti powered to a 6-1 6-1 victory in simply 59 minutes.
Talking in an on-court interview, Halep stated: “Tonight, I don’t know if it’s with joy or sadness, I think both feelings are trying me but I’m making this decision with my soul.
“I’ve all the time been life like with myself and with my physique.
“The place I in all probability was, it’s totally exhausting to get there and I do know what it means to get there. That is why I needed to come back right here right this moment in Cluj to play in entrance of you and say goodbye.
“Although my efficiency wasn’t excellent it was nonetheless my soul and I am very glad you got here, and I am going to surprise if I am going to come again once more. However for now it is the final time I’ve performed right here and I do not wish 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 that we will see each other again.
“I am going to come to the tennis right here as typically as I can and naturally I’ll proceed to play – however to be aggressive it requires way more and at this second it’s not.”
Halep, who was given a four-year doping ban that was decreased to 9 months resulting from a contaminated complement, final competed on the WTA Tour in October in Hong Kong.
The 33-year-old additionally performed in an exhibition occasion in Abu Dhabi in December, however subsequently pulled out of qualifying for the Australian Open, citing ache in her knee and shoulder.
