The former world No. 1 Simona Halep has drawn curtains on her career. The news came in soon after her straight sets(6-1,6-1) defeat from Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in the round of 32 of the Transylvania Open in Cluj on Tuesday, the Romania’s home event on the WTA Tour. The 72nd-seeded Bronzetti already had three match points in hand and she converted her match point when Halep missed a forehand return, ultimately taking the game away from her hands. She was seen hugging Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea after the match as she bid her final goodbye to the sport.

The announcement of Halep’s retirement came as a shock, but she was happy that she made the decision while playing in her homeland. Although she seemed competitive at the age of 33, the chances of capturing her old form back seemed to be diminished for a longer time. The X page Ollytennis posted of her retirement: “Woah, Simona Halep just announced her *retirement* after losing 6-1 6-1 to Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open.” After announcing her retirement, Simona Halep was seen embracing her father and mother along with her support team. To celebrate the moment with fans, she tossed her racquet into the crowd and celebrated the last moments on the court.

Just four days ago in an interview with a Romanian publication, Golazo.ro, Halep opened up about her future, hinting that retirement might be on the horizon for her. Her words, “life is more than just training and winning tournaments,” seemed like a clear sign that she was starting to think beyond her tennis career. She added, “I might not have even dreamed of becoming a world No. 1 or winning two Grand Slam titles, but I worked very hard for it, and such achievements made me feel fulfilled as a tennis player. Now I want to do something more, not just in tennis. The first part of my life was solely based on tennis, but now I want to explore other paths.”

🚨 Woah, Simona Halep just announced her *retirement* after losing 6-1 6-1 to Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open pic.twitter.com/DHipSmGzVi

The 33-year-old Halep struggled to make a comeback after a 19-month-long absence following anti-doping violations. Halep resumed her career last March 2024 after CAS reduced her ban to nine months from four years. She also disclosed injury problems as she was dealing with a cartilage tear in the knee, even though she was pain free at the moment. After serving the nine-month sentence, she played in the Miami Open as a wild card but lost to the Australian Open semifinalist Paula Badosa in the R128. Her last win came against Ariana Rodionova in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at Hong Kong 125 Open.

After a career filled with remarkable achievements that included two Grand Slam titles and a reign as World No. 1, she has finally chosen to take a step back from the sport on her own terms. Her final match may not have ended with victory, but it was a fitting farewell in front of the home crowd.

How Simona Halep’s injury woes got the best of her all this while

Simona Halep’s battle with injuries led her to seriously contemplate her retirement. She was in pain for some time, with a lingering knee issue and an additional shoulder pain. This also kept her out of the 2025 Australian Open. The return from a 19-month break and dealing with the injuries made her return to the form an uphill battle that seemed impossible to climb.

Ahead of the Transylvania Open, Halep admitted that the severity of her knee injury has taken a physical and mental toll on her. “The knee injury I have is quite serious and difficult to recover from. I don’t know if I’m afraid to push myself, but when I feel pain, it’s hard to play at my highest level. It’s very difficult to get back to where I was, especially after such a long break,” Simona Halep said. She recognized that bouncing back from injuries isn’t as easy as it once was, which made retirement a real possibility.

Despite her efforts to return after a lengthy suspension and injury struggles, getting back to her past self proved a challenge for her. Now as she embraces her new journey, fans will undoubtedly support her next endeavors, eager to see what’s in the store for the Romanian star.