Halep announces retirement following Bronzetti defeat in Cluj

Halep, who returned to the sport last year following an 18-month absence for doping violations, was outclassed by her opponent, falling to a 6-1 6-1 loss in just under an hour.

The Romanian conceded ahead of the tournament she had considered retiring from the sport as she continued to battle a niggling knee injury, and confirmed the news on court after her match.

Competing in just her third WTA Tour-level event since her suspension was overturned, Halep found herself immediately on the back foot after being broken in the opening game.

Bronzetti raced into an early lead and, despite Halep holding serve in the third game, the Italian won 16 of the next 18 points to take the first set in just 28 minutes.

In the second, Halep refused to give up but showed clear signs of rust, squandering a break opportunity early in the set with an unforced error at the net.

She managed to stop an eight-game losing streak by holding serve and reducing the deficit, but Bronzetti remained in command to close out the match to progress.

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"I don't know whether it is with sadness or joy. I think both feelings are trying me. But I am making this decision with my soul," Halep said afterwards.

"I've always been realistic with myself, my body. It doesn't take that long to get where I probably was. It's very hard to get there, and I know what it means to get there.

"That's why I wanted to come here today in Cluj, to play in front of you and say goodbye on the field of tennis, even though my performance wasn't very good.

"It was still in my soul, and I'm very glad you came. And I wonder if I'll come back again, but for now it's the last time I've played here.

"I don't want to cry because it's a beautiful thing. I became world number one and I won grand slams. It's all I wanted. Life goes on. There is life after tennis.

"I hope we will see each other again. As often as possible, I will come to watch tennis. Of course, I will continue to play tennis, but to be competitive it requires much more."

After turning professional in 2006, Halep would go on to take the WTA Tour by storm, ending her career with 24 titles, including two grand slam triumphs.

She emerged victorious at the French Open in 2018, coming from a set and a break down to beat Sloan Stephens at Roland-Garros, becoming only the sixth player to win both the girls' and women's singles title at the competition.

Halep then reached the Wimbledon showpiece match a year later as the seventh seed, dropping just one set on her way to the final. She defeated Serena Williams to clinch the title, committing only three unforced errors in the entire match, the fewest ever recorded in a grand slam final.