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Simona Halep played the final match of her career in front of her home crowd and lost to Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the Transylvania Open on Tuesday, February 4. Following the loss, she announced her retirement on the spot, leaving everyone in a state of shock.
A fierce competitor right from the start, Halep left no stone unturned in her quest for glory. Her dogged persistence and refusal to relent in the face of adversity made her one of the most feared competitors during her heyday. However, a doping suspension in 2022 forced her on the sidelines, and her career never recovered after that.
Halep made her comeback in 2024 after clearing her name but a string of injuries never allowed her to fully settle in. As the tour bids farewell to one of the most prolific players in recent years, here's a look at some of her biggest achievements in the wake of her retirement:
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#1. Winning the French Open and Wimbledon is the most noteworthy accomplishment in Simona Halep's career
Halep had a breakthrough season in 2013 during which she won six titles. There was no sophomore slump for her the following year, and she continued to improve. She reached her maiden Major final at the French Open 2014 and went down to Maria Sharapova in three sets.
Three years later, Halep had another crack at claiming her first Grand Slam trophy at the French Open. Up against Jelena Ostapenko in the final, won the first set and was ahead in the second and third sets as well but it wasn't meant to be. The particular loss stung as she was the favorite to win the title as the veteran.
A change of venue didn't help her as she lost to Caroline Wozniacki in the Australian Open 2018 final, once again in three sets. A few months later, she found herself in another French Open final, this time against Sloane Stephens. She rallied from a set down to finally taste Grand Slam glory.
Halep advanced to her first final at Wimbledon a year later and faced 23-time Major champion Serena Williams for the title. The Romanian played the match of her life to outplay the American 6-2, 6-2 and claim her second Major title. After a few heartbreaking losses, her persistence eventually paid off big time.
#2. Simona Halep attained the World No. 1 ranking, and finished the season atop the summit on two occasions
Halep clinched the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in October 2017 following a runner-up finish at the China Open, and ended the season in first place as well. She ceded the top spot to Wozniacki after going down to her in the Australian Open 2018 final.
However, Halep reclaimed her position at the top of the rankings a month later. Following one of the best seasons of her career in 2018, she ended the year ranked No. 1 for the second year in a row. After failing to defend her runner-up points at the Australian Open 2019, she was replaced at the top by Naomi Osaka.
Halep spent a total of 64 weeks as the World No. 1, which puts her in 12th place on the all-time list. She also retained her hold on the top spot for 48 consecutive weeks, which is the 20th-best streak in the history of the WTA rankings.
#3. Simona Halep spent 373 consecutive weeks ranked inside the top 10
Halep was one of the most consistent players during her prime. After a six-title haul in 2013, she came quite close to cracking the top 10. However, she finished the year ranked No. 11. She then made her top 10 debut following a quarterfinal finish at the Australian Open 2014.
Halep then remained inside the top 10 for 373 consecutive weeks and finally departed the region after the conclusion of Wimbledon 2021. It wasn't poor results that ended her streak but injuries. She missed the French Open and Wimbledon that year and was the defending champion at the latter tournament. Her streak of 373 weeks inside the top 10 is the eighth-best in the history of women's tennis.
#4. Simona Halep won 9 WTA 1000 titles during her career
After the Majors and the WTA Finals, the WTA 1000 tournaments are the most prestigious on the women's tour. Halep won nine titles over the course of her career and is tied in seventh place with Venus Williams, Monica Seles, Petra Kvitova, and Conchita Martinez on the all-time list.
Halep won her first WTA 1000 title at the Qatar Open 2014, and her second a year later in Dubai. She won her third title at the Indian Wells Open in 2015. Triumphs at the Madrid Open and the Canadian Open in 2016 further expanded her title haul.
She defended her Madrid Open title in 2017 and won the Canadian Open for the second time in 2018. She won the Italian Open for the first time in 2020 and claimed her final title at this level at the Canadian Open 2022. Aside from her nine titles, she also finished as the runner-up on nine occasions.
#5. Simona Halep earned $40 million in prize money during her career
Halep won 24 singles titles from 42 finals during her career. She also made the semifinals on numerous other occasions. Her consistency saw her ranked in the top 10 for 373 straight weeks. When one performs at such a high-level week after week, they're obviously going to be rewarded financially as well.
Halep earned a little over $40 million in prize money in her career. She ranks third on the all-time list, only behind Serena Williams ($94 million) and Venus Williams ($42 million). Her best season in terms of prize money was 2018, when she made $7.4 million.
