Simona Halep gives a discouraging update about knee injury

Simona Halep has become quite the divisive figure late in her career. She tested positive for a banned substance, was given a four-year suspension, had that reduced, and returned this year to playing tennis with a few players, especially Caroline Wozniacki, protesting Halep getting into tournaments with wildcards. They felt she should have earned entrance a bit more.

Coming back to tennis after a longish layoff means the player won't be in peak physical form for a while. The sport is an endurance one and, just like with running, one has to build back up to being in shape. This also can lead to injuries.

The 32-year-old Halep returned quickly after the ban was lifted so she could not have been physically ready to handle the harshness and punishment that playing on a hard court at a high level requires. She played the Miami Open in March but lost in the first round.

Simona Halep needs to take some time away before returning fully to tennis

She next played at the Trophee Clarins event in May but was forced to retire in the second set of her first-round match after suffering a knee injury. She has not been able to play since. Based on her recent social media post, Halep won't be returning to the sport any time soon either. She has chosen to rest the injury as much as possible.

The issue is that for someone who is not a young player, injuries can take longer to heal and one thing that Halep does not have is time. She might not return until 2025, but her form and fitness will be no better. If she expects to win tournaments, that is likely expecting too much.

Halep clearly doesn't expect to even be playing soon. She wrote on her Instagram account, "It has been a very difficult period (almost two years) mentally and emotionally for me, and struggling physically on top of that definitely doesn’t help. I have decided to take the time needed to recover properly, rather than training and playing through pain."

Sounds like there could be a few things at work there. Halep is definitely dealing with being hurt. She also might not have been emotionally and mentally ready to jump back into a sport that had banned her. She should have waited a bit more before playing again, but at least when she comes back she should be fully ready.

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