Simona Halep maybe didn't enjoy an impressive end to her career but it doesn't change the fact that she had a great career and did some outstanding things.
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After appearing in a total of four tournaments last year and missing the start of 2025 due to a serious knee injury, the two-time Grand Slam winner returned to action at this week's Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca.
Unfortunately for the Romanian tennis icon but also the locals, it didn't go well as she easily lost 1-6 1-6 to Lucia Bronzetti in her opener.
Moments after the match ended, Halep took the microphone in her hands and told the crowd that they watched their last match as a pro.
Anyone who follows tennis knows that the last three years of the Romanian's career weren't easy - first due to the doping case and then because of her knee injury.
But before all of this, she wrote Romanian tennis history.
When Halep reached the world No. 1 spot in 2017, she became the first player from her country to do so since the rankings were first published in 1975.
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Also, the 33-year-old is one of nine players to have been ranked at the top spot for more than 50weeks this century - she spent a total of 64 weeks at the world No. 1 ranking.
It should be mentioned that she was also back-to-back Year-End No. 1 in 2017 and 2018 and that she also became the first Romanian WTA player to win Wimbledon in 2019.
Halep: It's very hard to reach that level.
Its very hard to reach that level, and I know what it takes to get there, the former world No. 1 said in her retirement speech.
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Thats why I wanted to be here today, in Cluj, to play in front of you and say goodbye on the tennis court, even if my performance wasnt great.
While addressing the crowd, Halep also admitted that she accepted that her injury was too serious and that it wasn't possible for her again compete on the highest level.
To be competitive again requires much more, and at this moment, its no longer possible, the 2019 Wimbledon champion noted.
I dont want to cry. This is something beautiful. I reached world No. 1. I won grand slams; its everything I ever wanted.
