Simona Halep turned 31 on Tuesday in a year that saw her begin working with French coach Patrick Mouratoglou and also divorce after less than a year of marriage.
Halep announced this month she won’t play again on the WTA Tour this season after undergoing nasal surgery.
Her announcement came after she won Melbourne and Toronto and returned to the WTA Top 10, where she’s currently no. 9.
In March she started working with Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and her form started to improve as she reached the semi-final of the Indian Wells Open and quarter-final of the Madrid Open.
She said she was pleased with her working relationship with Mouratoglou.
“As you all know already because I’ve talked about it many times, in February, I was very close to stop tennis because I didn’t believe I have enough power to come back to top 10. I was going through many anxious moments, and I thought it is time to stop cause it is emotionally unhealthy,” she wrote.
On the personal front, the former world number one and two-time grand slam winner divorced from Toni Iuruc just days out from their first wedding anniversary.
Born on 27 September, 1991 in the Black Sea port of Constanţa, Simona Halep first picked up a tennis racket when she was 4, and debuted professionally at 14.
She won the 2008 Roland Garros juniors before going on the professional senior circuit two years later.
The 31-year-old has won 24 championships including two grand slams, Roland Garros, in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019.
