Former world number one tennis player Simona Halep announced her retirement from professional competition in February 2025 at the age of 33, stating a desire to step away from public life and step into a normal routine. She spoke about this during her appearance at the Sports Festival x 30:0, where she addressed her future plans and the closure of her athletic career.
Retirement After a Career Defined by Major Titles and Intense Scrutiny
Halep stepped away from the sport following a lengthy battle to return to competitive form after an anti-doping suspension. Her career trajectory shifted drastically after the 2022 US Open, when she received a four-year ban following a positive test for roxadustat, a substance she ingested through a contaminated nutritional supplement. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later reduced that sanction to nine months, clearing her return after 568 days away from the tour. Unable to regain her former elite level upon her comeback, she chose to end her professional career.
Stepping Away From Public Consumption and Media Focus
Reflecting on her departure from tennis, Halep described a deep need for personal privacy and relief from constant public judgment. During many years I belonged to everyone and now the time has come to belong to myself,
she told the audience at the festival, in an interview titled “I feel liberated.” She added that she wants to build a family and live without perpetual media coverage. I would very much like to stop being an object of public consumption, allow myself to live my own life and make people understand that the athlete Simona Halep closed her cycle in the sport,
she stated.
A New Chapter Away From the Tennis Tour
With her playing days behind her, Halep intends to settle down alongside businessman Dorin Mateiu, who is 24 years her senior. Previously married to businessman Toni Iuruc, Halep emphasized that her primary goal is simply ordinary living. Now I will be a normal person, just like everyone else,
she said, confirming that the athletic chapter of her life is permanently closed.
