Simona Halep Retires from Second Match of Comeback Due to Knee Injury

Simona Halep's comeback from a doping suspension hit a setback as she was forced to retire from her second match of the season due to a knee injury. The former Roland Garros champion had won the first set against 123rd-ranked McCartney Kessler at the Trophée Clarins, a WTA 125 tournament in Paris, but was unable to continue after suffering the injury in the second set.

Halep's return to competitive tennis has been met with mixed results. In her first match back, she lost to Paula Badosa in Miami. However, she expressed optimism about her future prospects in an exclusive interview with Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim.

"I'm older, of course, I have some titles behind, so I have experience and now I see more the pleasure for tennis," Halep said. "Of course it's going to be tough to get the rhythm back, but I enjoy more, which is I think the best thing right now for me."

Halep's injury is a blow to her hopes of regaining her former form. The Romanian is a two-time Grand Slam champion and was ranked as high as world No. 1 in 2017. However, she has struggled with injuries in recent years and her ranking has plummeted.

Halep's retirement from the Trophée Clarins means that she will not receive a wild card into the upcoming French Open. The Romanian will now have to rely on her protected ranking to enter the tournament.

Despite the setback, Halep remains determined to return to the top of the game. She is scheduled to play in the Madrid Open next week and the Italian Open the following week.

Tags: #SimonaHalep, #Tennis, #WTA, #DopingSuspension, #Comeback