BUCHAREST (ROMANIA): Former French Open champion Simona Halep on Friday announced that she has withdrawn from this year's tournament as she is still recovering from a calf injury. The Romanian tennis player vowed to be back in the French Open in 2022 as she has shifted her focus on "recovering and staying positive".
"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my withdrawal from @rolandgarros this year. Unfortunately, the tear in my left calf needs more time to recover and the timeline is just too short. Withdrawing from a Grand Slam goes against all my instincts and aspirations as an athlete," Halep said in a tweet.
"But it is the right and only decision to make. The thought of not being in Paris fills me with sadness, but I will focus my energy on recovery, staying positive and getting back on court as soon as it is safe to do so. Roland Garros 2022, I am coming for you! A bientot," she added.
Halep had clinched the French Open in 2018 after defeating American Sloane Stephens in the final.