Romanian tennis reacts to Simona Halep's retirement

On Tuesday, Simona Halep announced the end of her career. Beaten soundly by Lucia Bronzetti (6-1, 6-1) in her opening match at the WTA 250 tournament in Cluj-Napoca, the Romanian former world number 1 confirmed her retirement on court moments after her defeat.

Romanian tennis took the opportunity to pay tribute to Halep, whose late career was marked by a suspension for doping and recurring knee and shoulder injuries.

On her Instagram account, Sorana Cirstea expressed her emotion: "We've known each other since we were 7 years old and shared so many things together.

Tonight I cried because a part of me flew away with you. Thank you for everything you've done for our sport, for Romania and for us.

Enjoy this new chapter in your life, champion, and we'll see you on the other side of the fence very soon," wrote the 34-year-old.

Ana Bogdan, who played in the doubles tournament with her compatriot at the start of the week, was another Romanian to put in a good word for Halep.

"I think Simona had a great impact, she opened the door for all of us. She gave us a lot of confidence, especially after breaking into the top 10 and winning several Grand Slam titles.

She made us realize that we could do it too, no matter where we came from, even from a small country.

Believe me, nothing was easy for us when we started playing tennis. She showed us how to play from the heart and work towards what we wanted to achieve.

I'm grateful to have had the chance to share the court with her on Monday. I told her I wish I could have played more doubles tournaments in the past, it was fun. It's a very pleasant memory", she assured Tennis Channel.

Finally, the Romanian Tennis Federation also paid tribute to Halep.

"Today's announcement in Cluj-Napoca marks the end of an extraordinary career, but also the beginning of a new chapter in the life of a sportswoman who has inspired millions of people around the world.

Simona Halep was not just an exceptional tennis player, but a symbol of dedication, perseverance and determination, demonstrating that dreams come true through hard work and sacrifice.

Throughout her impressive career, Simona brought glory to Romania on the biggest stages of world tennis, winning two Grand Slam titles at Roland-Garros (2018) and Wimbledon (2019), and reaching the top of the WTA rankings, where she remained for 64 weeks.

Her exceptional performances, her fighting spirit and her modesty have made her a role model for generations of young athletes," reads a statement on the Federation's website.