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Simona Halep
Singles
Halep at the 2018 French Open
Country (sports)	Romania
Residence	Bucharest, Romania
Born	(1991-09-27) 27 September 1991 (age 33) Constanța, Romania
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Turned pro	26 June 2006
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$ 40,229,773 3rd in all-time rankings
Official website	simonahalep.com
Career record	580–241 (70.65%)
Career titles	24
Highest ranking	No. 1 (9 October 2017)
Current ranking	No. 883 (28 October 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	F (2018)
French Open	W (2018)
Wimbledon	W (2019)
US Open	SF (2015)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2014)
Olympic Games	1R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	67–71 (48.55%)
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 71 (15 May 2017)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022)
French Open	2R (2012)
Wimbledon	1R (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)
US Open	2R (2011)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
US Open	QF (2015)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	SF (2019), record 22–10

Simona Halep (born 27 September 1991) is a professional tennis player from Romania. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in singles twice. She held this top spot for a total of 64 weeks between 2017 and 2019. This makes her twelfth in the history of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. Simona was the year-end No. 1 player in both 2017 and 2018.

She has won two major tennis championships, called Grand Slam singles titles. She won the French Open in 2018 and the Wimbledon Championships in 2019. From 2014 to 2021, Halep was ranked in the top 10 for 373 weeks in a row. This is the eighth-longest streak in WTA history. She has won 24 WTA Tour singles titles. Simona faced a temporary ban from playing in October 2022. However, her ban was reduced in February 2024, and she returned to the tour.

Simona's Early Life and Family

Simona Halep was born on 27 September 1991 in Constanța, Romania. Her parents are Stere and Tania Halep. She has an older brother named Nicolae. Simona's father played football in lower divisions. He later owned a factory that made dairy products. He wanted to support his children in sports because he didn't get much financial help when he was young.

Simona started playing tennis when she was four years old. She went to one of her brother's training sessions and loved it. Her brother stopped playing, but Simona continued. She practiced twice a week until she was six, then daily. Besides tennis, she also played football and handball when she was growing up. She often trained on the beaches and in the water of the Black Sea in Constanța. When she was a teenager, a tennis club owner helped sponsor her. At sixteen, Simona moved to Bucharest to train away from her family.

Simona's Junior Tennis Career

Halep with the junior French Open trophy in 2008

Simona Halep was once the world No. 1 junior player. She started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in 2005 when she was 13. In her second tournament, she was a runner-up in Romania. The next year, she won all four junior singles events she entered. She also played for Romania in the Junior Fed Cup.

In 2007, Simona started playing in bigger junior events. She won her first Grade 1 title in Croatia. She also played in her first junior Grand Slam tournaments that year. She reached the third round at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

Simona did even better in junior Grand Slams in 2008, which was her last year as a junior. She reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. She then won a big title in Italy without losing a set. Simona finished her junior career by winning her only junior Grand Slam title at the French Open. She won the final against a fellow Romanian player. This win made her the top-ranked junior player in the world.

Simona's Professional Tennis Journey

Starting Her Professional Career (2006–2010)

Simona Halep became a professional tennis player in 2006. She started by playing in smaller tournaments in Romania. In 2007, she won her first two professional singles and doubles titles. By 2008, she won her first $25K singles title in Sweden. She started playing in bigger events after her junior career.

In 2010, Simona played in her first main WTA (Women's Tennis Association) tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals in Spain and then her first WTA final in Morocco. This helped her ranking rise quickly. She made her Grand Slam debut at the French Open. Later that year, she entered the US Open main draw for the first time. She finished 2010 ranked No. 81 in the world.

Climbing the Ranks (2011–2012)

Halep at 2011 Wimbledon

In 2011, Simona played mostly WTA Tour events. She won her first Grand Slam matches at the Australian Open, reaching the third round. She also reached the final of the Morocco Open again. At the US Open, she won her first match against a top 10 player. This result helped her enter the top 50 rankings for the first time. She ended 2011 at No. 47.

Simona kept a steady ranking in 2012, staying around the top 50. She reached the semifinals in Morocco and her first Premier-level final in Brussels. She finished 2012 at No. 47 for the second year in a row.

Breakthrough Year and First Titles (2013)

Simona had a slow start in 2013 but then had a huge breakthrough. She reached the semifinals of the Italian Open, beating three top 20 players. She then won her first three WTA titles in a row in June and July. She won on clay in Nuremberg and on grass in Rosmalen. After a third title in Budapest, her ranking climbed to No. 23.

Simona won her fourth title in New Haven, beating two top 10 players. This was her first Premier-level title and put her in the top 20. She reached the fourth round of the US Open, her best Grand Slam result then. She won her fifth title in Moscow and her sixth at the WTA Tournament of Champions. Simona finished 2013 at No. 11 in the world. She was named the WTA Most Improved Player of the Year. She was the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1986 to win her first six career titles in the same season.

Reaching Grand Slam Finals (2014–2017)

In 2014, Simona greatly improved her Grand Slam results. She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open. This result put her into the top 10 rankings for the first time. She won her first Premier 5 title in Qatar, beating three top 10 players. She then reached two of the biggest finals of her career: the Madrid Open and the French Open. She was a runner-up in both, moving up to No. 3 in the world.

Simona reached the semifinals of Wimbledon but lost due to an ankle injury. She then won her second title of the year in her home country at the Bucharest Open. This helped her reach No. 2 in the world in August. She qualified for the WTA Tour Championships for the first time. She beat Serena Williams in the group stage, but lost to her in the final. Simona finished 2014 at No. 3 in the world.

Halep at the 2015 French Open

Simona had a strong start to 2015, reaching at least the quarterfinals in her first six events. She won titles in Shenzhen, Dubai, and Indian Wells. The Indian Wells title was her first Premier Mandatory title, her biggest win so far. She reached the semifinals of the Miami Open, losing to Serena Williams. Simona reached the semifinals of the US Open, her best Grand Slam result that year. She finished 2015 with a career-best year-end ranking of No. 2.

In 2016, Simona won her second Premier Mandatory title at the Madrid Open. She also won back-to-back titles in Bucharest and Canada. She reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished the season ranked No. 4.

Halep at the 2017 Washington Open

Simona defended her title at the Madrid Open in 2017. She reached her second French Open final at the French Open. She was a favorite but lost in three sets. Despite the loss, she moved back to No. 2 in the world. In October 2017, Simona Halep became the world No. 1 for the first time. She was the first Romanian woman to reach this top ranking. She finished the season as the world No. 1.

Grand Slam Champion (2018–2019)

Halep with the French Open trophy

Simona kept the No. 1 ranking for most of 2018. She started the year by winning both singles and doubles titles in Shenzhen. She reached her third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open. She played two very long and exciting matches to get there. In the final, she lost in a close three-set match.

Simona reached her second French Open final in a row at the French Open. She came back from being a set down to win her first career Grand Slam title. She became only the sixth player to win both the junior and women's singles titles at the French Open. After Wimbledon, she reached the finals of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. She won the Canadian Open against Sloane Stephens. Simona ended her season early due to injuries.

Halep with Wimbledon trophy, on a stamp

Simona recovered from her back injury for the 2019 season. She reached the final of the Qatar Open and the semifinals of the Miami Open. She also reached another final at the Madrid Open. At Wimbledon, Simona reached the final as the seventh seed. She played against Serena Williams and won the championship easily. She lost only two games in each set and made very few mistakes. Simona became the first Romanian to win a Wimbledon singles title. She rose back to world No. 4.

Later Career and Return to Play (2020–Present)

In 2020, Simona won three more WTA titles: in Dubai, Prague, and Rome. The COVID-19 pandemic affected much of the season. At the French Open, she was a strong favorite but lost in the fourth round.

In 2021, Simona reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. She faced some injuries, including a calf tear, which kept her out of the French Open and Wimbledon. As a result, her ranking fell out of the top 10 for the first time since 2014. She finished 2021 at No. 20 and did not win a WTA singles title that year.

Halep at the 2022 US Open

Simona started 2022 by winning her 23rd title in Melbourne. She reached the semifinals of the Dubai Open and Indian Wells. She also reached the semifinals of Wimbledon without losing a set. At the Canadian Open, she won her 24th title, her third at that tournament. This win brought her back into the top 10 rankings at world No. 6. After the US Open, she had nose surgery and ended her season.

In October 2022, it was announced that Simona had tested positive for a substance at the 2022 US Open. She faced a temporary ban from playing. Simona appealed this decision. In March 2024, her appeal was successful. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced her ban to nine months, which she had already served. This meant she was allowed to return to tennis right away. She received a wildcard to play at the Miami Open and later the Hong Kong Tennis Open.

Representing Romania

Playing for Her Country in Fed Cup

Halep representing Romania at the 2014 Fed Cup against Serbia

Simona first played for the Romania Fed Cup team in 2010. The team was in a lower division then. She helped Romania get promoted to higher divisions over the years. In 2014, Romania moved up to the World Group II. Simona helped Romania defeat Serbia to get promoted to the top-tier World Group in 2016.

In 2016, Simona played in the World Group for the first time against the Czech Republic. She won one of her singles matches, but Romania lost the tie. In 2018, Romania was promoted back to the top-tier World Group for 2019.

In 2019, Romania reached the semifinals of the World Group for the first time since 1973. Simona won both of her singles matches against the Czech Republic, helping Romania win the tie. In the semifinals against France, Simona again won both her singles matches. However, Romania lost the deciding doubles match in a very close contest.

Playing in the Olympics

Simona represented Romania at the 2012 Olympics in London. She lost her first match there. She decided not to play in the 2016 Olympics due to concerns about the Zika virus. Simona was supposed to carry the flag for Romania at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, but she had to withdraw because of a calf injury.

Simona's Playing Style

Halep covering the court

Simona Halep describes her playing style as an aggressive baseliner. This means she hits powerful shots from the back of the court. Her tennis hero, Justine Henin, said Simona has a very smart game. Simona is also very good at defending and covering the court. She can hit strong winning shots even when she is playing defensively. She uses her speed to set up powerful shots.

Simona's favorite tennis surface is clay. However, she has been successful on all surfaces. She has won 10 titles on hard courts, 7 on clay courts, and both of her finals on grass courts. She has won Grand Slam titles on both clay and grass.

Simona is known as one of the best returners in tennis. This means she is great at hitting the ball back when her opponent serves. In 2018, she was ranked first for winning points on her opponent's first serve. She is not as highly ranked for her own serving, partly because she is 1.68 meters (5 feet 6 inches) tall.

Simona's Coaches

As a junior, Simona was coached by Ioan Stan. She later worked with Firicel Tomai and Adrian Marcu. In 2014, she hired Wim Fissette, her first non-Romanian coach. Under him, she reached her first Grand Slam final.

In 2016, Simona started working with Darren Cahill. With Cahill, she finished two seasons as the world No. 1. She reached three Grand Slam finals and won her first Grand Slam title at the 2018 French Open. Cahill left her team after 2018. Simona then worked with Daniel Dobre. With Dobre, she won her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. Cahill returned as her coach in late 2019. In 2021, she reunited with Adrian Marcu and Daniel Dobre. In 2022, she hired Patrick Mouratoglou as her full-time coach.

Simona's Sponsors

Simona Halep's clothing sponsor has been Nike since 2018. Before that, she was sponsored by Adidas and Lacoste. She uses Wilson rackets.

Simona is also sponsored by many Romanian brands. She had a deal with Vodafone Romania and appeared in their commercials. She also appeared in commercials for Rexona. Simona supports Dorna, a Romanian water brand, and helps with their campaign to care for babies born too early. She is also sponsored by Dedeman, a large Romanian home improvement company. Since 2017, she has been an ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Romania cars. She also endorses Hublot watches.

Simona's Personal Life and Popularity

Halep in 2014

Many people in Romania see Simona as the country's biggest sports star. After she won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, she was welcomed back to Romania with huge celebrations in Bucharest. Thousands of people attended these events. Famous Romanian athletes, like footballer Gheorghe Hagi and gymnast Nadia Comăneci, were there. Simona has also been named an honorary citizen of Bucharest. She has received important awards from Romania.

Simona is also very popular around the world. She was named the WTA Most Popular Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015. She was also the WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player for three years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019).

Simona's tennis heroes when she was growing up were Justine Henin and Andrei Pavel. She admired Henin's aggressive playing style. Her main sports hero was Gheorghe Hagi, a famous Romanian footballer. Simona is a big football fan and used to play a lot with her family. She supports the Romania national team and admires Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Simona married businessman Gabriel Iuruc in September 2021, but they divorced in September 2022. She also had nose surgery in September 2022 to help with breathing and to reshape her nose.

Career statistics

Performance timelines

**Key**
W	F	SF	QF	#R	RR	Q#	A	NH

(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated at the conclusion of a tournament or when the player's participation has ended.

Singles

Tournament	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	SR	W–L	Win %
Australian Open	A	Q1	3R	1R	1R	QF	QF	1R	1R	F	4R	SF	QF	4R	A	A	A	0 / 12	31–12	72%
French Open	Q2	1R	2R	1R	1R	F	2R	4R	F	W	QF	4R	A	2R	A	A		1 / 12	32–11	74%
Wimbledon	A	Q2	2R	1R	2R	SF	1R	QF	QF	3R	W	NH	A	SF	A	A		1 / 10	29–9	76%
US Open	A	1R	2R	2R	4R	3R	SF	QF	1R	1R	2R	A	4R	1R	A	A		0 / 12	20–12	63%
Win–loss	0–0	0–2	5–4	1–4	4–4	17–4	10–4	11–4	10–4	15–3	15–3	8–2	7–2	9–4	0–0	0–0	0–0	2 / 46	112–44	72%

Doubles

Tournament	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016–20	2021	2022	SR	W–L	Win %
Australian Open	1R	1R	1R	1R	A	A	1R	1R	0 / 6	0–6	0%
French Open	1R	2R	1R	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 3	1–2	33%
Wimbledon	1R	1R	1R	A	1R	A	A	A	0 / 4	0–4	0%
US Open	2R	1R	1R	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 3	1–3	25%
Win–loss	1–4	1–3	0–4	0–1	0–1	0–0	0–1	0–1	0 / 16	2–15	12%

Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 5 (2 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2014	French Open	Clay	Maria Sharapova	4–6, 7–6^(7–5), 4–6
Loss	2017	French Open	Clay	Jeļena Ostapenko	6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Loss	2018	Australian Open	Hard	Caroline Wozniacki	6–7^(2–7), 6–3, 4–6
Win	2018	French Open	Clay	Sloane Stephens	3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Win	2019	Wimbledon	Grass	Serena Williams	6–2, 6–2

WTA Championships finals

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2014	WTA Finals, Singapore	Hard (i)	Serena Williams	3–6, 0–6