Bucharest, Feb. 5 -- Two-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Simona Halep has retired from tennis, media reports said.
The Romanian announced her decision on court at the Transylvania Open following her 6-1 6-1 first-round loss to Lucia Bronzetti, the BBC reported.
The 33-year-old recently said she was considering retirement, external 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, according to a BBC report.
Making an emotional statement, external to the crowd, Halep said: "I'm making this decision with my soul.
"It's a bea...