Simona Halep, the former world No. 1, has announced an extended break from competition due to a knee injury sustained in mid-May. This setback comes just as Halep had returned to tennis following an 18-month doping ban. The rehabilitation process for her knee injury is taking longer than anticipated, prompting Halep to inform her fans that she will be out of action for an extended period.

Halep made her much-anticipated comeback at the Miami Open in March, only to lose in her opening match to Paula Badosa. Subsequently, she competed at the Trophée Clarins tournament in Paris, where she retired from her match against McCartney Kessler due to the knee injury. Despite receiving wildcards for the Oeiras and Madrid tournaments, Halep had to withdraw from both events because of her ongoing knee pain and insufficient fitness level.

“I have decided to take the time needed to recover properly, rather than training and playing through pain. My instinct has always been to try to come back as soon as possible, but I am not a machine, I am a human being and I need time to recover from everything I have gone through,” Halep stated.

In her latest update, Halep described the knee injury as unlike any she had experienced before, noting its exceptional difficulty to manage and the persistent pain. Acknowledging the emotional toll of her continued absence from the WTA Tour, especially after the doping case, Halep emphasized the need to prioritize her health.

Simona Halep in 2024

Now the world no.578, Halep played her last match on the 15^th of May when she had to retire when playing against world no.112 Mccartney Kessler in the 1^st round and the scoreline was 5-7 3-2 .

Until now, during this year Simona has managed to achieve a 0-2 record.