{"id":33853,"date":"2025-02-05T16:21:32","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T16:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=33853"},"modified":"2025-02-05T16:21:32","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T16:21:32","slug":"simona-halep-retirement-wta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/simona-halep-retirement-wta\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis Fans Hit Out At The WTA After 2019 Wimbledon Champion Simona Halep Announces Retirement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The news of Simona Halep’s retirement saw an influx of social media users hit out at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the two-time Grand Slam champion decided to hang up her racquet for good after a controversial end to her tennis<\/a> career.<\/p>\n

That decision was made after Halep was thrashed 6-1 6-1 by Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open in Cluj. The loss was just her sixth appearance after returning from a nine-month drug ban.<\/p>\n

Originally, the Romanian star had been hit with a four-year suspension but had it reduced on appeal. Furthermore, injury problems seriously hampered Halep’s comeback whereby she eventually accepted her time on court was up.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old had a distinguished career which saw her spend 64 weeks as the world No 1. More notably, Halep won the 2018 French Open as well as beating Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final a year later.<\/p>\n

Simona Halep Announces Retirement From Professional Tennis<\/h2>\n

“I feel both sadness and joy \u2013 both feelings are trying me at the moment<\/em>,” Simona Halep said after her defeat to Bronzetti on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

“But I make this decision with a peaceful soul. My body can’t take that much anymore to get to where I was, it’s very difficult for me to get there and I know what effort that entails<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“That’s exactly why I came here to Cluj to play in front of you and to get feedback from you. Even though my performance wasn’t the best, I’m very glad you came. I don’t want to cry, I became world number 1, I won Grand Slams, everything I wanted. Life goes on after tennis and I hope to see you as often as possible<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“I will still come to tennis, but to be competitive means much more and, at this moment, it’s no longer possible<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

\n

64 weeks at World No. 1\ufe0f\u20e3
2 Grand Slam titles \ud83c\udfc6\ud83c\udfc6
24 WTA singles titles \ud83d\udc4f
1 amazing career, @Simona_Halep<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/B3nFFAi6gw<\/a><\/p>\n

— wta (@WTA) February 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n