Two-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Simona Halep has retired from tennis.
The Romanian announced her decision on court at the Transylvania Open following her 6-1 6-1 first-round loss to Lucia Bronzetti.
The 33-year-old recently said she was considering retirement, because of a knee injury that forced her to withdraw from Australian Open qualifying last month.
This week’s event was just her fifth tournament since returning to the WTA Tour following a doping ban, in a case which went on for almost two years.
Making an emotional statement to the crowd, Halep said there is life after tennis and she hopes that they will see each other again.