When Simona Halep announced her retirement at the Transylvania Open on February 4, 2025, it wasn’t just the end of an illustrious career—it was the emotional finale of a long, exhausting battle with controversy. In a moment that left fans in tears, Halep opened up about the doping scandal that threatened to overshadow everything she had built.
A Cry from the Heart
Moments after a disappointing 6–1, 6–1 loss to Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in front of a home crowd in Cluj, Halep fought back tears as she bid farewell to tennis. With palpable emotion, she shouted:
“I have always been realistic with myself… Who knows whether I will return, but at the moment it is for the last time that I play here… I don’t want to cry, it is a beautiful thing”
Her voice cracked on “I don’t want to cry” an admission filled with humility and heartache.
The Scandal She Refused to Let Define Her
She didn’t shy away from the biggest question in her final press conference: the doping ban. Halep was first suspended in October 2022 after testing positive for Roxadustat, a banned blood-boosting drug. Though initially slapped with a four-year ban, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later reduced it to nine months, ruling the substance came from a contaminated supplement.
She remained defiant in her final statements:
“I know I didn’t do anything wrong in tennis and I am clean… It did take me out of commission… Maybe it was intended or maybe that’s just how the system was, but I am here, and I am emotionally well”
Facing Criticism, Finding Grace
The scandal wasn’t just a setback—it became a public spectacle. Criticism poured in from peers like Caroline Wozniacki, who questioned whether Halep deserved wild-card entries after serving a suspension. Many wondered whether the CAS decision reflected systemic leniency toward star players. Yet Halep stood tall: she framed the ordeal not as a crime but as a painful mistake tied to “hoped‑for” supplement safety .
She also praised supporters like tennis legend Chris Evert, who publicly vouched for her innocence, stating she trusted in her “unadulterated love for tennis”
Legacy Beyond Controversy
As she wiped away tears on the court that day, Halep wasn’t just acknowledging her final match—she was reclaiming her full legacy. With 24 WTA titles, two Grand Slams (French Open 2018, Wimbledon 2019), and a record 64 weeks at world No. 1, her accomplishments are unassailable.
Her emotional breakdown? Not a shameful retreat. It was the honest release of a champion who had fought hard, not only on the court but through the murk of public suspicion and internal doubt.
Conclusion
Simona Halep’s retirement speech wasn’t a stumble—it was the heartfelt crescendo to a career defined by passion, perseverance, and resilience. In her final moments, she didn’t cry because she had lost tennis—she cried because, despite everything, she loved it too much to let it go without one last goodbye.
