Simona Halep announces 'beautiful' retirement

Former world no.1 Simona Halep calls time on her career after a defeat to Lucia Bronzetti in her home country.

Transcript

00:00I don't know if it's because I'm sad or because I'm happy. I think both feelings are trying to get to me.

00:06But I make this decision with all my heart, and I've always been realistic with myself.

00:12My body can't take me as far as I want it to go.

00:17It's very hard for me to get there, and I know what it means to get there.

00:21That's why I wanted to come to Cluj today, to play in front of you,

00:28and to say goodbye on the tennis court.

00:32Even if my performance wasn't very good, it was with all my heart,

00:36and I'm very happy that you came.

00:39Who knows if I'll come back, but for now,

00:45it's the last time I play here, and I don't want to cry.

00:50It's a beautiful thing. I got to the World Cup, I won the Grand Slam,

00:54it's all I wanted.

00:59Life goes on, it's life after tennis,

01:03and I hope to see you again as many times as possible.

01:06I'll come to play tennis, of course, I'll keep playing tennis,

01:09but to be competitive, I need a lot more, and right now, I can't.