Ex-ATP pro explains why it’s difficult to induct Simona Halep into Hall of Fame due to doping scandal after the Romanian announces shock retirement

Simona Halep called time on her storied but also controversial career after her first-round defeat at the Winners Open.

Ex-ATP pro explains why it’s difficult to induct Simona Halep into Hall of Fame due to doping scandal after the Romanian announces shock retirement

Simona Halep (Image via X)

Simona Halep had contemplated retirement but probably no one knew that she would be calling time on her career right after her defeat in the first round of the Winners Open. The Romanian lost to Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 6-1 and during the on-court interview, Halep declared that she could continue playing tennis no more.

Halep has won over $40 million in prize money and has a total of 24 career titles but question marks will remain on how many matches she won with an added advantage. Former tennis player Jimmy Arias, when asked if he would give vote for Halep to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, he said he wouldn’t want to because of the doping scandal; and that he is glad he’s not the one voting for the Hall of Fame.

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There’s obviously an asterisk next to her name. You always think about it. The results are there, the titles are there. The $40 million in prize money will always be there, which is good for her. But it’s tough because there’s that question mark: ‘Did she do it fair and square or was there a little bit of an advantage?’ And how many matches did that represent? We don’t know the answer.

Jimmy Arias told Tennis Channel

Halep was contaminated by roxadustat. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) intitally handed her a four-year ban but after her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), her ban was reduced to nine months. Halep, following her return to the circuit in last year’s Miami Open, could’t make much impact and injuries too hampered her progress.

Boris Becker pays tribute to Simona Halep after her retirement

Simona Halep has now retired with several feats to her name. Along with the aforementioned achievements, she was also ranked No.1, reaching the top of the rankings in October 2017. Following her retirement, Boris Becker took to X to pay tribute to the two-time Major champion.

Simona Halep
Simona Halep (via X)

Congratulations Simo for your incredible career! Wimbledon and Roland Garros champion plus Number 1 in the world, many other trophies! The game of tennis will miss you! Many thanks for all your contributions!

Boris Becker wrote on X

Check out her tweet here:

Among Halep’s 24 career titles, two of them were Grand Slam trophies. She won her first Major at the 2018 French Open followed by her win at the 2019 Wimbledon.

Halep was also the 2018 Australian Open runner-up, and reached the semifinals at the 2015 US Open. She called time on her career with a 580–241 win-loss record.