Two-time Grand Slam champion announced her retirement from at age 33 after a first-round loss at a tournament in her home country of Romania on Tuesday, ending an injury-filled comeback from a .
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 with sadness or joy 鈥� I think I鈥檓 feeling both 鈥� but my soul is at peace with this decision, and I鈥檝e always been realistic with myself. My body can no longer handle as much as it used to, to get me where I probably once was," Halep said, using a microphone to address the crowd in Cluj, Romania, following her 6-1, 6-1 loss to Lucia Bronzetti in the Transylvania Open.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard to reach that level, and I know what it takes to get there,鈥� Halep said. "That鈥檚 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 wasn鈥檛 great.鈥�
It was the first match of the year for Halep, who reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings for the first time in 2017 but is now 870th and was given a wild-card invitation to play in Romania.
She had pulled out of qualifying for the Australian Open and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, last month because of pain in her knee and shoulder, the latest interruption of her career.
Halep once stood atop women's tennis, winning major singles trophies by beating Serena Williams in the final and by beating Sloane Stephens in the final.
She also was a three-time runner-up at Grand Slam tournaments 鈥� at the Australian Open in 2018 and the French Open in 2014 and 2017.
But her last appearance at a major event came at the 2022 U.S. Open. That was where Halep of Ukraine 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 and .
Roxadustat was approved for use in the European Union in 2021 to treat the symptoms of anemia caused by chronic kidney failure. It stimulates the body to produce more of the natural hormone erythropoietin, or EPO, which has long been a doping product favored by cyclists and distance runners to boost stamina.
Halep initially was given a four-year ban that would have expired in 2026. But she appealed, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport in March 2024.
She argued that she was exposed to a contaminated supplement that caused her failed test. CAS determined that Halep bore 鈥渟ome level of fault or negligence鈥� for not exercising 鈥渟ufficient care鈥� while using the supplement, but 鈥渟he bore no significant fault or negligence.鈥� So that is why, CAS said, 鈥渉er anti-doping rule violations were not intentional.鈥�
Halep made her return to the tour later that month at the Miami Open but has played a total of only six matches since then.
She leaves the sport with 24 singles titles and more than $40 million in prize money.
鈥淭o be competitive again requires much more, and at this moment, it鈥檚 no longer possible,鈥� Halep said Tuesday. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to cry 鈥� this is something beautiful. I reached world No. 1, I won Grand Slams; it鈥檚 everything I ever wanted.鈥�
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Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath in Sighisoara, Romania, contributed to this report.
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More AP tennis:
Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
