Simona Halep has introduced her retirement after struggling a convincing defeat in her first match of 2025.
The previous world No 1 belatedly bought her season below means in her residence occasion, the Transylvania Open, in Romania on Tuesday, after being handed a wild card.
However the two-time Grand Slam champion received 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 mentioned: “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 at all times been sensible with myself and with my physique.
“The place I in all probability was, it is very arduous to get there and I do know what it means to get there. That is why I wished to return right here in the present day 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 will surprise if I will come again once more. However for now it is the final time I’ve performed right here and I do not need 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 will come to the tennis right here as typically as I can and naturally I’ll proceed to play – however to be aggressive it requires rather more and at this second it’s now not.”
Halep, who was given a four-year doping ban that was diminished to 9 months because of 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.
