Simona Halep announced her retirement from professional tennis at the end of her first-round match at the Transylvania Open. She later gave an extensive interview about how she reached this decision and how she feels now that it is public.
Simona, when did you know you were going to retire?
When I realized that my knee injury was serious and that I needed a cartilage implant. They told me recovery would take a year, maybe a year and a half, and even then, there was no guarantee I’d be able to perform at my previous level. My goal throughout my career was to avoid surgery and to play as long as possible without going through that because once you have surgery, nothing is ever the same. And I managed to avoid it. There was no point in pushing myself further and risking more damage… for what, in the end? Maybe in a year, I’ll miss it and decide to come back, you see many athletes making comebacks now. But for now, I need to say it out loud, to free myself and see life differently.
My tennis was always very physical. And emotional. I’m a very emotional person, and for me, every single match meant a lot. Before matches, I had stomach pain, and anxiety—it’s exhausting to go through that. And I’m very realistic. I can’t just say, “Oh, I was world No. 1, so I’ll get back into the Top 10.” You have to work like a dog to get there. And right now, I can’t do that anymore.
Is this your way of showing respect for tennis—choosing to retire when you can no longer give it everything?
Yes, well put. I know that tennis deserves 100% respect, and that means giving it everything. I dedicated my life to it, and now I can’t do that anymore. And I don’t want to. During this time away, I’ve discovered more about myself. I know everyone talks about personal growth, but it’s real. It’s meant a lot to me to see life differently, to gain a new perspective, to understand what really matters. There are so many problems in the world, so many illnesses, so many loved ones struggling.
If I were 25, just starting, maybe I could start over. But after everything I’ve achieved… I sat down with myself and realized it was not worth going through all this again. I deserve to look in a different direction. And we’ll see what happens. I don’t even know what’s next. But right now, I know I’m not playing anymore.
Did you ever imagine how your career would end? Did you picture this day?
No. I never thought about how it would end—just like with everything else I’ve done. Even before this tournament, Patrick (Patrick Ciorcilă, Transylvania Open tournament director) asked if I wanted a big retirement ceremony. I told him I wasn’t announcing anything yet—I’d see how I felt. And today, on court, I just knew I had to say it. There was no point in continuing. And this is how I felt it should be—simple because that’s how I’m comfortable. And I think it was the right decision.
What will you miss the most about tennis?
The adrenaline of winning. When you win a Grand Slam, you feel every single cell in your body vibrating. That euphoria takes your brain to a place you can’t reach in any other way. Only sports can make you feel that. But I’ve talked a lot with Darren about this, and he doesn’t think I’ll miss it that much.
If you talk to former great athletes, I think they would say I reached the maximum. With my body, with my emotions, I’ve lived through so much and achieved so much. So, I don’t know if I’ll miss it that much. I think I’ve made peace with it and accepted that it’s time to move on.
What do you want to carry with you from your career?
Absolutely everything. The bad decisions, the good ones, everything. Right now, after everything I’ve been through—the disappointments, the painful losses, all that has happened in the last two years—I don’t feel a single negative thing about this sport. For me, it was a passion, a purpose. It was my calling. I don’t want to use big words, but this was my life. And now I realize that I haven’t truly lived. I’ve lived 30 years of tennis only. And I don’t regret it. If I were born again, I’d do the exact same thing. But I love that I have the strength to say stop. You know? And to accept that the moment has come, with all that happened, and say ‘stop’.
No regrets—only beautiful memories and a sense of fulfillment I never could have imagined. I walked away with two Grand Slam titles, with Wimbledon, which was wow, with being World’s No. 1, with so many tournament wins. As Darren says, “You’re the greatest player in Romanian tennis history, so be proud of yourself!” He even messaged me today, saying, “You did it your way.” He wanted me to have a big ceremony and everything (Simona laughs). I told him, “No, Darren, I’ll do it the way I feel is right.” What is the meaning of all this craziness?
In the end, tennis will always be in my heart. Maybe I’ll stay in the hearts of my fans, too. But now, it’s time to move forward.
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