Former WTA pro Svetlana Kuznetsova reacted to Simona Halep’s retirement, expressing disappointment. She noted how doping bans altered the careers of both Halep and Maria Sharapova.
Halep made the surprising announcement after her first-round loss at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a few days ago. She fell to Lucia Bronzetti 1-6, 1-6.
This was her first tournament of the 2025 season and now her last. She had received a qualifying wild card for the Australian Open but withdrew due to injury, bringing an end to a remarkable career that included two Grand Slam titles and numerous other achievements.
The Romanian has been flooded with tributes since then, including one from her former rival Kuznetsova, who shared her thoughts on Telegram. She said:
“It is very sad to read that Simona was never able to come back and decided to end her sports career. Of course, the doping case, unfortunately, damaged not only Maria Sharapova’s career but also Simona Halep’s.”
Kuznetsova added:
“This is how it is in sports, such beautiful careers do not end on a high note. But nevertheless, Simona will forever remain a legendary athlete, and my congratulations to her.”
Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, receiving a two-year suspension. However, after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it was reduced to 15 months.
Meanwhile, Simona Halep tested positive for roxadustat at the 2022 US Open and was later charged with biological passport irregularities. Initially handed a four-year ban by the ITIA, her suspension was later reduced to nine months.
Leave a Reply