Simona Halep says she ‘was done with tennis’ before linking up with Patrick Mouratoglou

Simona Halep has lifted the lid on her motivational struggles earlier this year, admitting: ‘I actually told my family that I done with tennis.”

Halep has been one of the top WTA talents for years, reaching world number one and winning two majors in a brilliant career.

Those heady times were three years ago now, though, and at the start of this year she found herself in her 30s and starting to struggle mentally.

“I played well in Australia, but then after I lost in Doha, I was down again,” Simona Halep said in an interview with the Guardian.

“I actually told my family and my close ones that I probably am done with tennis because I felt like I have no more power to fight and to stay there to be resilient.

“Slowly, I just tried to see if I still want it, and I felt like I wanted it but it was very difficult.

Halep’s struggles seemed to start when she lost coach Darren Cahill, but starting to work with Patrick Mouratoglou this season appears to have settled her again.

“So now that I met Patrick [it] made it a little bit easier. And now I’m really motivated, and I have that desire to keep playing because I feel I can and I feel that I still love it.

“So now I’m just trying to rebuild everything I had before and even stronger if it’s possible. But I take it slow, I take it easy, and just give myself time.”

Halep heads to Wimbledon next week for the first time since she won it back in 2019.

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