World No. 2 Simona Halep says she has coronavirus; isolating at home with 'mild symptoms'
Simona Halep revealed Saturday morning on Twitter that she has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Romanian tennis star said she has "mild symptoms" and is "recovering well." She said she is self-isolating at home.
The No. 2-ranked Halep had won 17 matches in a row before losing to 19-year-old Iga Swiatek in the fourth round of the French Open in early October as the No. 1 seed.
Prior to the French Open, Halep had not played since winning in Dubai in February because of a foot injury and the coronavirus pandemic. The two-time Grand Slam champion did not travel for the U.S. Open in September due to COVID-19 concerns, according to the New York Times. She did not attend the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro because of concern about the Zika virus.
“The pandemic actually showed me how much I love tennis and how much I want to get back on tour,” Halep said Oct. 2 at the French Open.
Hi everyone, I wanted to let you know that I tested positive for COVID-19. I am self-isolating at home and am recovering well from mild symptoms. I feel good... we will get through this together 🤗💪
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) October 31, 2020
According to the Women's Tennis Association, Halep has either been No. 1 or No. 2 in each of the past seven years, the longest streak since Stefanie Graf's 11-season run that occurred more than 20 years ago.
“She would always err on the side of safety when it comes to those types of decisions, so she has no regrets,” coach Darren Cahill said at the French Open.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simona Halep, tennis star, says she has coronavirus with mild symptoms
