"I knew the sacrifice was worth it," Halep reveals she had back surgery at 17 to save her dream of becoming a professional player

Former world number 1, Simona Halep might not have become a professional player as a teenager due to chronic back pain that forced her to undergo surgery.

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Adrien Guyot

le 29/11/2025 à 07h30

1 min to read

Halep

The fate could have been very different for Simona Halep. The Romanian, winner of the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon among other achievements in her career, also reached the world number 1 ranking in 2017.

Now retired, the former player, now 34 years old, can reflect on her career. However, in recent hours, she stated that she was forced to undergo major surgery even before reaching adulthood, as she suffered from chronic back pain.

"I already had a serious problem with my spine. I was 17 and had just won the French Open in the Juniors (in 2008). I was in shape and my dream had come true. And, all of a sudden, during training, I couldn't move anymore. I was scared and started to cry.

It was too early to make such a decision (to have surgery), but I knew I wouldn't be able to play tennis at the highest level without it. I had confidence, I knew the sacrifice was worth it. You are the one who builds your own future. The first step is confidence: believing that you can achieve your goals," Halep revealed in comments gathered by Tennis Up To Date.