Simona Halep begins life after professional tennis retirement

Former world number one Simona Halep has begun transitioning to life after professional tennis. Following her retirement in February 2025, the former WTA leader has expressed a desire to lead a more normal life away from the intense media spotlight and strict professional schedules.

Halep recently shared that she has begun practicing golf, a hobby she previously identified as a primary goal for her post-tennis life. Her professional career included two Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, as well as 64 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings.

Her departure from the sport followed a period of legal and personal challenges, including a dispute regarding a positive test for roxadustat at the 2022 US Open, which she contested to prove there was no intentional use of prohibited substances.